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Developing skills policies in six countries

Part one of this report describes the background and context to the research project. The aim was to investigate ho ... Show more
Part one of this report describes the background and context to the research project. The aim was to investigate how skills policy is formed, conducted and developed in six of Britain's competitor countries - Canada, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Denmark, Italy and Taiwan. The objectives and particular issues covered by the study are listed and the methodology is described in some detail. Details are also presented on the process used for selecting the number and choice of countries. Part two comprises six chapters, looking at how each of the countries provides the vocational education and training skills required for the present economic situation and in preparation for the future. There are comprehensive notes at the end of each chapter. The final part compares the policies of the countries covered with those of Britain. The three main questions examined were: (1) do the countries studied actually have a skills policy or strategy?; (2) what are the main influences or forces bearing on and shaping these countries' policies, and is it possible to isolate factors which predispose to more or less effective policies?; and (3) what can be said about the success of the six countries' policies? The paper concludes with some specific points to consider as lessons for Britain. Show less

Authors: Down, Tim

Corporate authors: Leeds Metropolitan University. Policy Research Unit ... [+] Show more

Date: 1999

Geographic subjects: Oceania; North America; Asia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Government report or paper

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Research; Policy ... [+] Show more
Evaluation of the labour market benefits of responsiveness funding for further education

The 1994 Competitiveness White Paper in England 'Helping businesses to win' and its Welsh equivalent 'People and pr ... Show more
The 1994 Competitiveness White Paper in England 'Helping businesses to win' and its Welsh equivalent 'People and prosperity' drew on a range of evidence to establish the competitive importance of immediate skills to the performance of the economy. Among the new measures that were put in place were new funds for further education (FE). The Competitiveness Fund (CF) was created to support capital projects in FE provision to meet local labour market priorities while the Development Fund (DF) projects aimed at improving access, quality and associated aspects of provision. In 1995, The HOST Consultancy was commissioned to conduct an evaluation of the labour market benefits of the new funds. This final report is based on research of FE colleges, employers, Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) and others involved in seven projects from the first year of the CF. It identifies factors contributing to successful projects and the issues requiring further development to improve project performance. It is structured as follows: the first chapter provides the background, the objectives and scope and the research approach of the evaluation; chapter two explores the positioning of the targeted CF bids and their rationale; the third chapter examines the evidence from colleges of their relationships with TECs, capacity and use of labour market information (LMI) in relation to their CF bids; chapter four reviews the CF links with the strategic goals and capacity of colleges as set out in their strategic plans; chapter five examines the way CF case study projects were managed and resourced; chapter six reviews the involvement of employers in the projects; chapter seven looks at the outcomes from the seven CF projects which form the basis of this evaluation; and the final chapter discusses issues and implications for policy makers and others concerned with the effectiveness of the CF. Also included are three appendices: (1) The distribution of new funds; (2) Methodology; (3) The survey employers in context. Show less

Authors: Gordon, Alan; Parsons, David; Walsh, Kenneth

Corporate authors: Great Britain. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE)

Date: 1997

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Research report

Subjects: Labour market; Finance; Management ... [+] Show more
Pathways to employment: the final evaluation of ESF Objective 3 in Britain (1994-99)

This report presents the final evaluation of the European Social Fund (ESF) Objective 3 activities. It is both an a ... Show more
This report presents the final evaluation of the European Social Fund (ESF) Objective 3 activities. It is both an assessment of the performance of the current Objective 3 program and a basis for planning and developing Objective 3-type activities for the next program. Sections cover a range of areas including recent trends in the British labour market, project delivery to meet individual needs, what Objective 3 has achieved, program performance, equality, assessment and evaluation. Show less

Authors: Alan, Jim; Hansbro, Jacqui; Mooney, Paul

Corporate authors: Great Britain. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE)

Date: 1999

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Research report

Subjects: Evaluation
Youth trainees: early leavers study

This report is intended to highlight policy issues to do with the delivery of Youth Training (YT) programs. It has ... Show more
This report is intended to highlight policy issues to do with the delivery of Youth Training (YT) programs. It has three main aims. They are: (1) to test the feasibility of using existing data sources on the former YT to improve estimates of early leaving from YT and other work based training; (2) to identify common characteristics of early leavers; and (3) to compare characteristics of YT early leavers with those who complete their period of YT but do not achieve their planned outcome. The research raises a number of questions in the areas of the quality of data and internal factors relating to the programs. These policy issues are briefly discussed. Show less

Corporate authors: Great Britain. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) ... [+] Show more

Date: 1999

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Research report

Subjects: Youth; Traineeship; Policy ... [+] Show more
Higher Level Basic Skills Pilots: follow-up interviews

This report presents a review of the performance of the Higher Level Basic Skills Pilots that were introduced in 19 ... Show more
This report presents a review of the performance of the Higher Level Basic Skills Pilots that were introduced in 1997. Previous research has indicated that adults with low levels of literacy and/or numeracy become significantly more employable if they reach Level 1 as opposed to Entry Level. The Higher Level Basic Skills Pilots were introduced with the intention of testing out the extent of the benefits of achieving Level 1. This report is designed to test the value of reaching Level 1 and to examine the general performance and on-the-ground experiences of operating the Pilots. Show less

Corporate authors: Great Britain. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) ... [+] Show more

Date: 1999

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Research report

Subjects: Literacy; Numeracy; Performance ... [+] Show more
Career development loans applicants survey

The Career Development Loan (CDL) scheme offers unsecured, deferred-repayment bank loans for vocational education a ... Show more
The Career Development Loan (CDL) scheme offers unsecured, deferred-repayment bank loans for vocational education and training courses. This report presents the results of the 1998 evaluation of the CDL survey. The survey aimed to help monitor who is applying for CDLs, what courses they are taking up, how the scheme is evolving and how cost effective it is. It will aid with understanding how training effects subsequent job opportunities and to understand what would have happened in the absence of CDLs. This particular survey highlights, for the first time, those who has been refused a CDL as well as those who were successful in their application. Show less

Corporate authors: Great Britain. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) ... [+] Show more

Date: 1998

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Research report

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Participation; Finance ... [+] Show more
Evaluation of the effectiveness of residential training for disabled people

This report highlights some of the main issues surrounding residential training provision (RTP) for disabled people ... Show more
This report highlights some of the main issues surrounding residential training provision (RTP) for disabled people. These are: What training is being offered by the residential providers? To whom is this training being provided? What outcomes are being achieved from residential training provision? How satisfied are the trainees with the training? How can the effectiveness of residential training be improved? The methodology used incorporated visiting training providers, interviewing current trainees and undertaking a survey of ex-trainees. The report concludes that: a range of training is being offered by residential providers; this training is being provided to a minority of unemployed disabled people seeking work; the outcomes from residential training provision appear to be better than those achieved for all work-based training for adult trainees; trainees were very satisfied with the training programs and the quality of teaching, but less satisfied with some of the facilities at RTPs; and that the effectiveness of RTP can be improved by adopting a more holistic approach to the needs of trainees. A number of recommendations arising from the research are also provided. Show less

Authors: Maton, Kevin; Smyth, Kate; Broome, Steve; Field, Paul

Corporate authors: UK Research Partnership ... [+] Show more

Date: 2000

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Research report

Subjects: Employment; Disability; Research ... [+] Show more
Evaluation of pilot summer activities for 16 year olds: summer 2000

This report presents the findings of an evaluation study of a Department of Education and Employment (DfEE) funded ... Show more
This report presents the findings of an evaluation study of a Department of Education and Employment (DfEE) funded program: Pilot summer activities for 16 year olds. The overall aim of this program was to help young people in their transition from secondary school to adult life and to enhance their personal and social skills. The main findings include: the projects embarked on new or strengthened existing relationships with key partner agencies to promote enhanced inter-agency working; the number of young people wanting to attend school or college increased from 76 per cent at the commencement of the program to 81 per cent at the end; 41 per cent of the participants said the program had either a big impact or had completely changed what they had intended to do; 85 per cent reported the program had made them more determined to achieve future plans; one in five participants reported the program had no influence on their plans; one in four participants reported they had not improved their personal/social skills at the conclusion of the program; approximately half the participants felt they had improved their group working and problem solving skills; and four in ten felt they had improved their leadership and communication skills and had greater self esteem. The chapters of the report are: Introduction; Characteristics of pilot projects; The impact of the programme; Conclusions and recommendations. Also included are three annexes: (A) Methodology; (B) Pen portraits of pilot projects; (C) Additional tables. Show less

Authors: Hutchinson, Jo; Henderson, David; Francis, Sarah

Corporate authors: Segal Quince Wicksteed (SQW) ... [+] Show more

Date: 2001

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Research report

Subjects: Youth; Research; Employment ... [+] Show more
The role of Employee Development Schemes in increasing learning at work

Employee Development Schemes (EDSs) in the United Kingdom have been slow to take off. Despite this slow start there ... Show more
Employee Development Schemes (EDSs) in the United Kingdom have been slow to take off. Despite this slow start there has been no lack of ad hoc research. What has been missing is comparative evidence on how EDS has been taken up by firms, individuals within firms and its impact. While the general objective of this project was to undertake an evaluation of the impact EDS has had on increasing learning at workplaces, more specific research aims include gathering information about how far EDS encourages learning activity within the workplace, the impact of attitudes to the take-up of learning in the future and as reflected in post-EDS take-up of learning opportunities, the direct and indirect benefits of EDS to employers and, where appropriate, to other funders, integration with or tensions between the focus of EDS and employer participation in more business-orientated training and development activities and initiatives, and how to improve the contribution made by EDS to lifelong learning. The report presents evidence from past research of EDS activity and distribution, details support and facilitation of EDS by Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) and Chambers of Commerce, Training and Enterprise (CCTEs), explores employer rationale and expectation of EDS, describes the benefits and impact of EDS and discusses development issues and implications for organisations and policy makers. Show less

Authors: Parsons, David; Cocks, Nigel; Rowe, Valerie

Corporate authors: Great Britain. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE)

Date: 1998

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Research report

Subjects: Participation; Skills and knowledge; Teaching and learning ... [+] Show more
From local lessons to national practice: an update to the final evaluation of the ADAPT and EMPLOYMENT community initiatives in Great Britain

The ADAPT and EMPLOYMENT programs seek to encourage innovative policy development and practical activities focusing ... Show more
The ADAPT and EMPLOYMENT programs seek to encourage innovative policy development and practical activities focusing on the labour market. ADAPT focuses on assisting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) adapt their workforce to industrial change, the promotion of competitiveness and the prevention of unemployment, while EMPLOYMENT supports different target groups facing specific difficulties in the labour market. In May 1999, GHK Economics and Management was commissioned to undertake the final evaluation of these two programs. This evaluation was undertaken in two stages and this report presents the findings of the second stage. The report begins by providing a brief overview of the two programs and outlining the fieldwork methodology and coverage. It then summarises the findings of the 1999 fieldwork, the findings of the 2000 fieldwork by project type and the findings of the information recipient interviews. Finally, conclusions and recommendations based on the year 2000 fieldwork are provided. Also included are three annexes: (1) Summary characteristics of projects interviewed; (2) Interview checklists; (3) Good practice material. Show less

Corporate authors: GHK Economics & Management (Firm) ... [+] Show more

Date: 2001

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Research report

Subjects: Employment; Disadvantaged; Labour market ... [+] Show more