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The Chamber of Labour is the legal representation of all Austrian workers and employees. Membership is compulsory. The nine provincial Chambers of Labour and the Chamber of Labour Austria as the national head organisation are legally obliged to represent the social, economic, educational and cultural interests of their members. In 2002, the Chamber of Labour launched a new initiative, the 'AK Bildungsgutschein' ('Learning voucher of the Chamber of Labour'), in all nine Austrian states. Every member can order a learning voucher worth 100 euros (in some states members on parental leave receive 150 euros) every year. The voucher can be used up in specially defined courses - including those leading to formal higher qualification - at selected training providers. The presentation will deal with the following questions: What has been the reason for the shift from the supply to the demand side, and therefore for the implementation of the learning voucher? How and what for can the voucher be used up? What have been the results of the first evaluation? How can the learning voucher be combined with other mechanisms for co-financing lifelong learning in Austria? What is the outlook for the future?

The Vuselela College: Jouberton Campus/Are-Fadimeheng Computer Literacy Project is an exceptional example of excellence and sustainable training focused on the learning environment of the next generation. Starting through the innovative use of dated DOS technology and equipment, a sustainable learning community had been created with benefits on multiple levels. A secondary school typing classroom was converted into a computer literacy training centre with twenty-eight 486 computers and twelve dot matrix printers. The programme has been 'upgraded' since the beginning of 2004 to run on Windows technology. Grades 10 and 11 learners attend a one hour class per week for ten weeks. They start with keyboard and basic word processing skills, and progress to intermediate and advanced word processing and spreadsheet skills. The project is financially self-sustaining. The fee per learner covers the expenses towards maintenance of equipment, consumables and the facilitator's remuneration. A fixed amount per learner is contributed to the school fund. Key benefits: upon completion of the course, learners can proceed to Windows training at the campus, and many take Computer Practice as an additional Grade 12 subject; a sustainable learning community is created; learners are simultaneously equipped with a useful skill for FET [further education and training] and HET [higher education and training], and a marketable workplace skill; the school status has been enhanced to a sought after secondary school, resulting in an increased learner intake; the partnership between the college and local school community ensures strong linkages and good relations; the facilitator is an unemployed N6 college student - she now earns an income, gains experience that improves her employability, and the administrative part of the work serves as experience towards her obtaining a National Diploma. Future plans: ensuring that all Are-Fadimeheng Grade 12 school leavers are computer literate; training teachers and administrative staff to utilize computer technology for work and other purposes; involvement in computer training, as well as computerised literacy and numeracy programmes; meeting the needs of learners from neighbouring schools as well as working parents through after hours programmes.

Salford Innovation Park is committed to the support of innovative methods of teaching and learning within and outside programmes of formal education, as well as supporting creative and 'non-creative' occupations through the use of creativity techniques. Within this strategy, the methods adopted support lifelong learning and social inclusion by developing new skills and employment aspirations. A pilot event was run as part of the Salford Film Festival by Salford Innovation Park and Turnz Theatre Group. It has resulted in a commitment to combine theatre and film techniques with the development of the skills necessary for the envisaged knowledge economy. The 'Talking Movies' seminar and workshop held on 19th and 20th October 2003 was a learning event aimed at SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises] in the Salford area as part of the regeneration of the city through the use of the creative industries. The workshop concentrated on new basic (or transversal) skills such as group learning and team building, confidence and aspiration development and key skills such as working with others and communication. The workshop was attended by solicitors, health service managers and complementary health providers. However, the techniques could be used with any group from any business sector and in schools, colleges and universities. They can form the basis of innovative training and can be used in any lifelong learning setting and situation. The project described had the simple aim of improving the communication, presentation and confidence skills of the trainees through the use of creative techniques. All participants expressed complete satisfaction with the outcomes. The Salford Innovation Park team intend to use theatre techniques and creative thinking methodologies to produce a powerful enterprise training package for users from a range of backgrounds. Currently the methods are being used with level 4/5 students at the University of Salford, and in the future with level 3 trainees of Afro-Caribbean origin at the Cariocca Education Trust, Manchester and with employees from local SMEs. The methods used are extremely powerful in terms of individual awareness raising and improving business performance. For this reason, a longitudinal evaluation strategy of participants is to be employed.

In this workshop the presenters share information about an ICT [information and communications technology] project which started in September 2003. Four pilot schools were selected for testing the program. The first two schools began their activities in September 2003, one school followed in November 2003 and the fourth school entered the pilot phase in February 2004. The program was offered as a voluntary extracurricular activity in all-day schools aiming at a final ICT exam to receive an ICT driving licence (Xpert). A total of 101 students (60 girls, 41 boys) from grade 5 up to grade 9 were enrolled. The project design focusses on providing contextual learning for vocational skills and on fostering performance orientation. ICT-competence is a prerequisite for the world of labour and provides guidance in the process of job orientation. This is crucial, especially for our young learners as the transition between general education and vocational training is huge. Business and industry complain about 'not trainable' students. It is in this context that prepared4future was set up. The program has two core components: the obligatory modules to receive the ICT driving licence and the equivalent project work to train vocational skills (i.e. how to apply, how to prepare for an interview, etc.); and the training concept for the teachers with regular workshops. They were trained and assisted in working with the set of workbooks, especially designed for this program. ICT project work was made available on an Internet platform, targeted to meet the needs of young users. The project was continually evaluated by teachers and students; problems were addressed and necessary changes made. The positive feedback of the final evaluation received from teachers, students and parents led to the objective to launch the program on a larger scale.

This study focuses on graduates' transition from Finnish polytechnics to the labour market at a point of time when polytechnic degrees may still be somewhat unfamiliar in the workplace. These degrees are intended to qualify their holders for tasks requiring professional expertise. The results of the study are based on polytechnic graduates' answers (n=1888) to a questionnaire. The findings suggest that the polytechnic graduates have been quite successful in finding employment. In 2003, 82% of the polytechnic graduates from the respective study fields of business and administration, technology and transport, and health and social services were employed, while about 3% were unemployed and the remaining 15% were outside the workforce. Furthermore, most of the employed polytechnic graduates had a permanent position. However, although polytechnic graduates seem to have successfully moved into working life, there is a gap between the (learning) skills acquired in education and the skills actually needed in the workplace. According to the polytechnic graduates, working life demands more skills than their education can offer them. These findings are not surprising because some skills, such as practical skills, including tacit ones, and self-regulation skills are learnt only in working life. There is nonetheless a real challenge here to develop teaching and teaching methods in polytechnics to better meet such needs.