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The 2005 National Employers Skills Survey (NESS) was commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), in partnership with the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). It provides up-to-date information on the incidence, extent and nature of skills problems faced by employers and explores employers' activities and expenditure in relation to training. Over 74,500 employers were interviewed and comparisons are made with results from employer surveys dating back to 2001. This document is the main report from the survey. It is presented in seven sections: following the executive summary and introduction, section three explores the recruitment problems facing employers and their causes, focusing on the incidence, number, distribution and density of vacancies caused at least partly by a lack of skills, experience or qualifications among those applying; section four examines skills gaps within the workforce and their main causes; section five investigates the recruitment of 16-to-24-year-olds over the past 12 months and explores employers' perceptions of the work-readiness of these recruits and which skills, if any, are found to be lacking; section six focuses on training and workforce development, and explores the extent, nature and volume of training and workforce development activity; and the final section examines employer expenditure on training. Findings include: there has been little change since 2004 in the proportion of employers experiencing difficulty filling vacancies; the proportion of employers affected by skills gaps has once again decreased over the past 12 months, as it has every year since 2001; 21% of employers have recruited a young person into their first job direct from education in the past 12 months; 65% of employers have provided training in the previous 12 months, with the vast majority providing some off-the-job training; and total employer training expenditure over the previous 12 months was UKP 33.3 billion.

A related report containing the key findings is indexed at TD/TNC 86.444. Show less

In 2001, funding was provided by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to extend outreach provision in local community settings through pilot projects in order to explore innovative and effective ways to attract new basic skills and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) learners from ‘hard-to-reach’ groups and build the capacity of institutions to undertake further outreach work. This good practice guide uses case studies to identify and share best practice within and between these projects. The chapters are: The development phase - research, planning and preparation; Engaging new learners; Advice, guidance and support; Initial assessment and recording learners’ progress and achievement; Working in partnerships; Staffing and staff development; Record keeping and assessment; Using information technology; Asylum seekers and refugees. Included as an appendix: Criteria for good practice. Show less

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for funding and planning post-16 education and training in England. This workforce development strategy describes how the LSC will achieve its responsibility to raise skill levels and the demand for learning, and engage employers in improving skills for employability and national competitiveness. The strategy has been developed in consultation with government and key partners at national, regional and local levels. The strategy comprises the following approach: (1) to raise informed demand for employment-related skills among individuals and employers; (2) to support improvements to the responsiveness and flexibility of the supply side of skills; and (3) to contribute to the development of an underpinning framework of better skills and labour market information, responsive vocational qualifications, and improved links to the wider educational agenda. Show less

Following the broadening of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) from full-time education to include young learners on two programmes within the [Learning and Skills Council] LSC funded work-based learning family, Entry to Employment (E2E) and Programme Led Apprenticeships (PLA), from April 2006, the LSC commissioned Experian and Ipsos MORI to undertake an evaluation of the extension roll out in September 2007. The objective of this research is to understand the effectiveness of the rollout of the extension of EMA, in particular in relation to the communication of EMA into the programmes; the operational procedures; and the impact on overarching LSC policy. The research was undertaken through a combination of learner and provider surveys, and [in-depth] interviews with providers. The communication of EMA into the programmes has been effective overall, although there is room for improvement in achieving higher initial awareness amongst providers of the rollout. The initial preparation procedures, providing information regarding the administration of EMA to providers, are suitable and effective. The extension of EMA to E2E and PLA has contributed to some of the core LSC targets and policies, by helping raise participation, achievement and progression, as well as creating a more level playing field, although there is potential to further enhance these impacts in the future.

Excerpts from published executive summary reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) National Office commissioned [the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education] NIACE to identify the possible impact of the new qualification, registration and [continuing professional development] CPD requirements for teachers, trainers and tutors in the learning and skills sector (referred to here as the ‘QTLS reforms’) on Third Sector (TS) providers and practitioners. TS organisations are: non-governmental; ‘value driven’ (primarily motivated by the desire to further social, environmental or cultural objectives rather than to make a profit per se); and principally reinvest their surpluses to further social, environmental or cultural objectives. The LSC also sought an indication of the possible costs of compliance for TS organisations, and how these providers might be supported most effectively. Third Sector organisations in scope included those delivering LSC-funded programmes under direct contract to the LSC and those in partnership arrangements with lead providers, such as colleges, local authorities, and TS consortia, along with some prospective TS providers. The project addressed four key areas. These were: current teacher qualification levels amongst TS organisations; the TS teacher role, its distinguishing features (if any) and how these intersect with the QTLS reforms; the likely cost implications for TS providers of implementing the QTLS reforms, both in terms of meeting the new requirements and establishing/sustaining a supporting infrastructure; and issues or barriers that could affect TS engagement with the reforms, and any examples of practice to show how these could be addressed.

Excerpts from published introduction. Show less

This report presents the technical details and core methodology of the National Learner Satisfaction Survey (NLSS) 2007, which was conducted by the Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The survey comprises three waves, each dealing with a distinct set of modular questions: (1) pre-entry advice and guidance (wave 12); (2) support for learners (wave 13); and (3) impact of learning (wave 14). The NLSS covers learners in FE [further education] (including general FE, sixth form college, adult learning, and other/specialist FE), work-based learning (WBL) and personal and community development learning (PCDL).

Separate reports have been produced for key findings (TD/TNC 95.170), further education (TD/TNC 95.171), work-based learning (WBL) (TD/TNC 95.172), and personal and community development learning (PCDL) (TD/TNC 95.173). Separate reports have also been produced for FE learners with learning difficulties (TD/TNC 95.168), and/or disabilities (TD/TNC 95.167) and early leavers (TD/TNC 95.169). Show less

Train to Gain is one of the most important developments in skills policy in recent years. Introduced in April 2006, and fully rolled out in August of that year, Train to Gain is a national service for businesses that provides help in identifying and sourcing such training as will improve the skills of their workforce and their business performance. It aims to encourage employers to invest in the development of the skills and qualifications of their employees. It is particularly concerned with increasing the proportion of adults in the workforce who have Level 2 qualifications and good basic skills. Among the key guiding principles of the Train to Gain service is the idea that training provision and skills development should be individually tailored to the needs of the employer. To ensure that these objectives are being met and that the service meets the needs of employers, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has initiated an ongoing employer evaluation of the Train to Gain service. This document reports the findings from Sweep 2 of this employer evaluation.

Excerpts from publication reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

The 2004 National Employers Skills Survey (NESS) was commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), in partnership with the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), to provide detailed information on skills and workforce development issues facing employers in England to serve as a common basis to develop policy and assess the impact of skills initiatives. The survey included 27,000 employers across all sectors of business activity in England. This report is presented in three main sections: 'Skill shortages and other recruitment difficulties' explores the scale and nature of recruitment problems, focusing on the incidence, number, distribution and density of vacancies caused at least partially by a lack of skills, experience or qualifications among those applying; 'Skills gaps within the existing workforce' examines the incidence of skills gaps within the workforce, both in terms of the frequency with which employers have skills gaps and the proportion of staff described as lacking in proficiency, and explores the main causes of skills gaps and the skills that are described as lacking among the workforce in England; 'Training and workforce development' explores the extent, nature and volume of training and workforce development activity, including the proportion of establishments that provide on- and off-the-job training, the extent to which employers plan and budget for training, and the factors that influence training activity. The findings indicate: that skills deficiencies continue to affect about a quarter of the employers; evidence of a slight easing of skills problems for employers in terms of the number of staff lacking skills and the number of vacancies where skills shortages are experienced; skills deficiencies affect different size and sector of employer, and occupational group, very differently; and there have been significant increases in the proportion of employers with training plans.

The key findings report is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 83.264. Show less

The fourth National Employers Skills Survey (NESS) has revealed a steady upward trend in most areas of skills development, according to the views of over 79,000 employers. NESS gathers and analyses data on the issues employers face in terms of recruitment, skills gaps and training. The findings are positive with fewer employers reporting skills gaps and the percentage of all vacancies caused by skills shortage, showing a marked fall. There has been an increase in the proportion of employers providing training, holding a training plan and budget, which has led to an increase in the cost of training for employers of 15.9 per cent compared to 2005. Key findings from the survey include: 67 per cent of establishments have funed or arranged training in the last year; Employer training spend for 2007 was 38.6 billion [British pounds] an increase of 16 per cent (10 per cent when inflation is taken into account); Almost half of employers have a training plan and over a third have a training budget; There has been a reduction in the number of vacancies caused by lack of skills (25 per cent in 2005 compared to 21 per cent in 2007). The study was undertaken in collaboration with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA).

A related report containing the key findings is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 95.555. Show less

This report presents the findings for 5,580 learners in the work-based learning (WBL) system. These learners were surveyed as part of the National Learner Satisfaction Survey (NLSS) 2007, which was conducted by the Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The survey comprises three waves, each dealing with a distinct set of modular questions: (1) pre-entry advice and guidance (wave 12); (2) support for learners (wave 13); and (3) impact of learning (wave 14). The NLSS covers learners in FE [further education] (including general FE, sixth form college, adult learning, and other/specialist FE), work-based learning (WBL) and personal and community development learning (PCDL). The report contains the following sections: (1) summary and implications, highlighting the key findings; (2) overall satisfaction, providing detail about learners' overall satisfaction with their learning experience, including an assessment of what drives satisfaction, and an examination of learners who leave their course early; (3) satisfaction with the teaching and the provider, which details findings covering learners' satisfaction with the quality of their teaching, attitudes to their course tutor and other staff, as well as an examination of how learners feel they have been treated; (4) pre-entry information, advice and guidance, examining learners' reasons for choosing their course and provider and the level of information they received about the course; (5) learner support, providing detail on the overall level of support given by providers, as well as how any problems or complaints have been handled; (6) attitudes to learning and the benefits of learning, dealing with how respondents feel about learning in general and about how their course has helped them, and learners' expectations for undertaking further learning; and (7) learners from learndirect, providing a summary of the findings of the core questions for learndirect learners. Throughout the report, comparisons are made with findings from NLSS studies from previous years.

Separate reports have been produced for key findings (TD/TNC 95.170), further education (TD/TNC 95.171) and personal and community development learning (PCDL) (TD/TNC 95.173). Separate reports have also been produced for FE learners with learning difficulties (TD/TNC 95.168), and/or disabilities (TD/TNC 95.167), and early leavers (TD/TNC 95.169), along with a detailed technical report (TD/TNC 95.174). Show less