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The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for funding and planning education and training for people over the age of 16 in England, except those in higher education. A key goal for the LSC is to widen participation in learning. This consultation document outlines the LSC approach to a strategy for widening adult participation in education and training. The strategy applies to all LSC-funded providers engaged in the education and training of adults. It has been developed by the LSC with key partners at national, regional and local level. The strategy identifies ways in which more adults could be attracted into learning and how they may be positively engaged and retained in the learning process. The key purpose of this document is to seek advice and comment from stakeholders on the effective development of the strategy in terms of the actions proposed. The document summarises the recommended actions within five areas: a partnership approach; appropriate provision; targets and research; equality and access; and funding. The contents are: Summary recommendations; Rationale; Background; Strategy implementation: Summary of consultation issues. A number of annexes are included: DfES Public Service Agreement Targets; Key recommendations for the LSC; Steering Group; English Local Labour Force Survey 2001 - Adult Participation in Learning; Adult learning and social division: a persistent pattern. The NIACE (National Institute for Adult Continuing Education) Survey on Adult Participation in Learning 2002 (report indexed at TD/TNC 69.655); 'Learning works: widening participation in further education' (Kennedy Report, 1997) (indexed at TD/IRD 88.23); LSC strategic objectives for workforce development; Widening adult participation: ways to extend good practice. Research summary and recommendations; Response to consultation; Bibliography. Show less

A two volume report of the evidence on the demand for, and supply of, skills in England has been produced by Warwick University’s Institute for Employment Research (IER) on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), in association with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) and the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs). Volume one provides a national overview of the key issues and challenges facing those charged with delivering skills. Volume two provides a detailed review of the evidence on changing skill requirements at sectoral and local levels. This volume contains the following chapters: Overview and summary; Sectoral evidence; Sectoral profiles; Key sectoral issues; Regional and local evidence; Regional and local profiles; Key regional and local issues. Contains glossary and references.

Volume one is indexed at TD/TNC 73.590. ‘Key messages from Skills in England 2002’ is indexed at TD/TNC 73.368. Show less

The National Learner Satisfaction Survey (NLSS), undertaken by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), provides an overview of delivery and satisfaction with education and training among learners aged 16 or over in England. The NLSS 2004/05, carried out between February and June 2005, looked at a range of programs and interviewed learners about their perceptions of the delivery of education and training and their satisfaction levels in relation to the quality of teaching, management of learning, pre-entry advice and guidance, learner support, benefits and impacts of learning. The focus of this report is on learners with learning difficulties. Key messages include: 90 per cent of learners with learning difficulties were satisfied to some extent with their overall learning experience; as with all learners, older learners with learning difficulties tended to show higher levels of satisfaction with the learning experience than their younger counterparts; and course/provider related reasons were the most common reason for leaving a course among all learners, including those with learning difficulties, although learners with learning difficulties were significantly more likely to leave a course due to health related reasons. The contents are: Introduction; Satisfaction with the quality of teaching; Information and guidance prior to entry; Support for learners. Included as appendices are: Confidence limits and effective sample size; Ridge regression scores for individual components; The questionnaire: core and modular questions.

Reports from the 2004/05 NLSS are indexed at TD/TNC 86.393 and from TD/TNC 87.439 to TD/TNC 87.443. Show less

The National Employer Skills Survey (NESS) is the largest of its kind ever commissioned, and aims to investigate the extent, causes and implications of England's recruitment problems and skills gaps, and at the same time measure employers' training activities. The Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) commissioned reports from a number of Sector Skills Councils, and this report summarises the NESS 2003 for Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land-based sector. This sector has a broad coverage, but for the purposes of this report only three broad clusters are focused upon: environmental industries, animal health and welfare, and land management and production. The overwhelming majority of establishments in this field are micro-businesses, with 94% employing fewer than five people. Due to survey restrictions, self-employed sole-proprietors were not included in the data, though many exist in the Lantra field, and 445 interviews were conducted in total. Employers were asked about specific skills they require now and skills they expected to be required in three years time. The two main occupations in this sector are identified as managers or proprieters in agriculture, and skilled agricultural tradespeople. For the former, communication, customer handling, numeracy, literacy and teamworking skills were all identified as important, while in the case of skilled trades, technical and practical skills are needed at an advanced level. The report also considers the extent of recruitment difficulties and skill gaps, and finds that: 56 per cent of establishments in the lifelong learning sector face hard-to-fill vacancies; 27 per cent of establishments suffer from internal skill gaps, with staff being regarded as less than fully proficient; vacancies and skill gaps are most common amongst skilled trades and elementary occupations, reflecting the importance of technical skills to this sector; the main causes of skill gaps are primarily perceived to be due to staff having a lack of experience; the main causes of hard-to-fill vacancies are a lack of interest in this type of work, and a low number of applicants with the required skills; and the most common skills lacking in applicants are technical and practical skills, communication skills, management skills and problem solving skills. Barriers to developing and maintaining a proficient team of staff in the Lantra sector are identified as including: lack of time for training for those with skill gaps; a lack of cover for training; and a lack of funds for training. The report also considers issues associated with employer engagement in developing their workforce. Show less

Skills in England 2007 provides an up-to-date assessment of the skills arena. It highlights the key skills issues facing the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and its partners, based on a comprehensive review of developments and of the evidence that has emerged over the past year. The report highlights that collectively, the LSC and its partners must continue to find ways to increase the demand for skills from employers and ensure that everyone, whether an employer or an individual, is able to access the learning opportunities that are suitable for them.

Four volumes have been produced: 1. Key Messages: outlining key findings and policy implications; 2. Research Report: providing in-depth analysis; 3. Sectoral Perspectives: providing insights across industry; 4. Regional/Local Perspectives: summarising the geographical situation.

Volume 1: Key Messages sets out the main findings and broad policy implications stemming from the research undertaken and reviewed for Skills in England 2007. It highlights the key issues facing the LSC and its partners, with a view to helping identify the key priorities for skills.

Excerpt from publication reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

Volumes 2-4 are indexed from TD/TNC 91.283 to TD/TNC 91.285. Show less

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has responsibility for the planning and funding of work based learning for young people in England up to the age of 24. The responsibility for work based learning for unemployed adults age 25 and over lies with Job Centre Plus. This document sets out the Council’s approach to funding work based learning (WBL) for young people up to the age of 24 years in 2002/03 and details future developments. This document details: the work undertaken in reviewing the 2001/02 arrangements in response to feedback from providers and sector representatives, and the key role of the National Rates Advisory Group (NRAG) in reviewing funding rates; how the Council is implementing enhancements to WBL that reflect the recommendations of the Modern Apprenticeship Advisory Committee; and the Council’s funding approach for WBL in 2002/03. Current and future research and policy development likely to impact on WBL are described, including the funding of additional learning support and research into area costs and programme/sector weightings. The Council’s intention to undertake further research on the costs of provision relating to the various elements of WBL are discussed.

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

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has completed the third National Learner Satisfaction Survey (NLSS). For 2003-04, the survey is based on over 43,000 learners (a substantially larger number of learners than in earlier surveys) receiving tuition or training through further education, work based learning and adult and community learning providers. This report summarises the main findings of the 2003-04 survey for adult and community learning (ACL). This includes learners attending accredited ACL courses (FE delivered by Adult Learning Providers) and non-accredited Adult and Community Learning (non-accredited ACL) courses. The survey elicited learners' views of the quality of teaching, their overall satisfaction with their learning experience, and whether they would be likely to return to learning within three years on the basis of this experience. As with previous surveys, the results indicated high levels of satisfaction across the sector. The findings also reveal that more learners now get a 'buzz' from their learning, and more are reporting that their courses have 'helped them in their jobs'. However, there is evidence that some learners remain only fairly satisfied and others, dissatisfied. The report proposes that the sector address shortcomings in learners' experiences wherever possible, and improve the numbers found in the 'very' and 'extremely' satisfied group.

Related reports are indexed at TD/TNC 82.434, TD/TNC 82.436 and TD/TNC 82.437. Show less

This document is concerned with the development of a framework for quality and success as part of the implementation of ‘Success for all’ (indexed at TD/TNC 72.207), a strategy focused on reforming education and training through partnership in the learning and skills sector. The proposed framework will be created through a new planning, funding and accountability system developed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Key proposals outlined in this report relate to: three-year development plans; the setting and agreeing of improvement targets; performance assessment; three-year funding agreements; and the setting and agreeing of floor targets for success rates. This document refers to the needs of work-based learning providers only, while a companion document (indexed at TD/TNC 81.351) addresses colleges and other providers of further education. Show less

As part of the national evaluation of Care to Learn, a telephone survey was conducted of 1,000 of the 3,666 young parents who received Care to Learn funding during the 2004/05 academic year. The survey was conducted during September/ October 2005, to allow time after the end of the previous academic year for these young parents to have obtained any examination results and to have moved on, e.g. to further study, a job, or a period of inactivity. Despite its brief scope, this report shows that the funding and related support are very important to young parents remaining in, or returning to, learning. Furthermore, Care to Learn enabled many of these young parents to progress in terms of obtaining qualifications and enhancing their ability to enter and compete effectively in the labour market.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This report looks at the findings from a small scale research study carried out by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), Somerset between April and July 2005. The research explored the motivation behind career choices and was based in Somerset. The qualitative study involved individual interviews with Somerset learners who were either currently training in a non-traditional occupation or were learners within a traditional working environment that also has some atypical learners. The interviews were arranged through Somerset learning providers funded by the local LSC. The research was broken down into four main themes: family and self image; gender imagery; key influences and finally career choices linked to future opportunities. A semi-structured questionnaire was developed around these four themes and used as the basis for the one to one interviews. The intention was to identify any emerging theme or themes that provided a clearer understanding of what motivates entry into non-traditional areas of learning and employment.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less