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The Learning and Training at Work (LTW) survey of employers investigates the provision of learning and training at work and the awareness of, and involvement with, existing and new training and development initiatives. The survey covered the following areas: provision of off-the-job training; provision of on-the-job training; cost to employers of providing job-related training; management of training and training delivery; learning opportunities and facilities available for employees; awareness of, and involvement with, training initiatives; skills; and young employees. The main findings of the 2000 study were: approximately 76 per cent of employers had provided training to their employees in the 12 months leading up to the interview; 41 per cent of employers had provided off-the-job training to their employees; 66 per cent of employers had provided on-the-job training; the total cost of providing training for employers with 10 or more employees was 23.5 billion pounds; 46 per cent of employers who provided training reported that some of this training was leading to a formal qualification; 60 per cent of employers possessed a business plan, 39 per cent had a training plan, 27 per cent had a training budget, and 24 per cent had a human resource plan; approximately 63 per cent of employers offered at least one of eight nominated types of learning opportunities and seven per cent of employers reported they had staff or trade union representation at the establishment; National Vocational Qualifications/Scottish Vocational Qualifications (NVQs/SVQs) was the initiative with the highest level of awareness; 61 per cent of employers believed that the skills required in their average employee were increasing, 33 per cent felt they were static, and four per cent felt they were decreasing; and the qualifications possessed by young employees was higher than the figures reported in 1999. Show less

The Modern Apprenticeship (MA) program was introduced to improve the supply of intermediate level of skills in the United Kingdom (UK). The Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) commissioned a study in 1998 to evaluate employers' views and experiences of MAs. This study set out to: (1) evaluate the impact MAs are having on the quantity and quality of work-based training for young people; (2) determine the extent to which the MA program has been effective in overcoming skill shortages and in improving skill levels; (3) assess whether the program provided value for money; and (4) provide some guidance in delivering and maintaining high quality training. The study, based on interviews with employers, found that while there was room for some improvements, overall, the MAs were meeting the needs and expectations of both employers and apprentices. Show less

Previous research has shown that basic numeracy and literacy skills have important positive effects on individuals' labour market outcomes. However, the impact of 'soft skills' were not taken into account. There is concern that if individuals with better basic skills also have better 'soft skills', then some of the benefits of literacy and numeracy that were identified in earlier research may be attributable to individuals having better soft skills. A second area of concern is that previous research did not directly investigate whether improving adults' basic skills would also improve their labour market outcomes. The study aims to investigate whether the literacy and numeracy test scores in the National Child Development Study (NCDS) are correlated with 'soft skills' that were excluded from previous research but which also have a positive impact on individuals' labour market outcomes, and whether individuals who have measurably improved their basic skills since the age of 16 earn more because of their higher skills. Show less

Skills Dialogues constitute a series of consultations with all major industrial and business sectors in the UK, generating high quality authoritative skills assessments for each of these broad sectors. Their purpose is to improve the quality of information available on skills at sector level and to provide an effective means for national training organisations (NTOs) and employers to contribute to the planning and implementation of education and training provision in their sector. This report is the result of the Transport Sector Skills Dialogue and provides an assessment of trends in employment and skill needs and associated issues in the transport sector. The transport sector is defined as covering aviation, passenger land transport, Merchant Navy, motor vehicle sales and repair, rail, road haulage, and distribution and ports. The introductory chapter explains how the transport sector is defined for the purposes of the Skills Dialogue, its importance to the UK economy, and key influences on the sector. Chapter two explores issues associated with labour market demand in terms of the numbers of employees required and skill requirements. Chapter three investigates issues linked to the supply of labour to the transport sector, including trends in the working population in general from where the sector will be recruiting. Chapter four draws together issues from previous chapters to identify areas of difficulty in the supply of skills to the sector. The report also includes an industry summary for each part of the transport sector highlighting industry facts, trends and issues. The four key messages to emerge from the report are: (1) the transport industry is huge and will require a large labour pool; (2) much of the industry skill needs will stay at the same level despite changes so vocational training needs equal treatment with higher education to continue to provide the labour required; (3) the entry criteria for Modern Apprenticeships needs changing to eliminate discrimination in those parts of the sector where initial recruitment is at age 25 or older; and (4) the needs of the transport industry are reasonably uniform across the UK so the government needs to take a national approach when addressing industry issues. Show less

The National Skills Task Force has been established by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to assist him in developing a National Skills Agenda. The Task Force was asked to provide advice on the nature, extent and pattern of skill needs and shortages, including associated recruitment difficulties, how these are likely to change and what can be done to ease such problems. This paper is one of a series that has been commissioned to review and evaluate existing literature in a number of skills-related areas.as been commissioned to review and evaluate existing literature in a number of skills-related areas.

This paper examines the extent, nature and implications of spatial variations in skill levels across England. Following the introduction, Section 2 examines the reasons why skills are important to localities. In addition to the obvious potential for stimulating employment, earnings and living standards, the authors identify other important reasons such as globalisation, which is increasing competitive pressure both nationally and internationally, technological change which is transforming work organisation, and the consequent importance of ensuring that skill deficiencies and gaps are addressed. Section 3 looks at the extent and nature of spatial skill variations in the workforce as a whole and with young people at school. In Section 4 the authors look at the variations locally within 3 levels - at age 11, age 16 and in the workforce as a whole. Section 5 concentrates on the effects that spatial skill variations have on local economic performance - employment, competitiveness, earning and deprivation. Finally, Section 6 presents the implications for policy and future research and summarises the conclusions. The authors maintain that spatial skill variations are substantial at all levels of qualification both for young people and the workforce as a whole and that they are systematic, in that low skill localities are generally low skill at age 11, age 16 and in the workforce as a whole.

Other research reports in this series are indexed from TD/TNC 62.633 to TD/TNC 62.645 and from TD/TNC 62.647 to TD/TNC 62.651. Show less

This report sets out the findings of the first stage of a longitudinal evaluation of the Centres of Excellence (CoE) and Skills Challenge (SC) elements of the Skills Initiative and the Wider Collaboration Element of the Further Education Collaboration Fund (FECF). These three funds had been introduced in the 1998/99 financial year with the aim of addressing local and regional skill shortages by funding new investment in the education and training infrastructure. The structure of the report is as follows: the first section outlines the objectives of the study and the methodology; the second section provides an overview of the three funds; the third section describes the bidding and selection processes associated with the three funds and provides an overview of the partnership development process; the fourth section is on project implementation and includes the findings from the case study fieldwork; and the fifth section presents the conclusions and recommendations. Also included as an annex are: the interview checklist used for Government Office/Regional Development Agency (GO/RDA) and case study interviews. Show less

The National Skills Task Force has been established by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to assist him in developing a National Skills Agenda. The Task Force was asked to provide advice on the nature, extent and pattern of skill needs and shortages, including associated recruitment difficulties, how these are likely to change and what can be done to ease such problems. This paper is one of a series that has been commissioned to review and evaluate existing literature in a number of skills-related areas.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical appraisal of the skills issues relating to the creative industries, including how different parts of the sector have attempted to identify and meet their skills needs, the roles of different parts of the education and training sector in supplying the skills needed, and any evidence relating to the perceived failure in the United Kingdom (UK) to translate good design into good business. In his introduction, Parker identifies important issues to be addressed in the creative industries sector, including the difficulties in defining both the sector and the skills, the problems in estimating the size of the sector using standard data sources, the skills needs of specific creative industries with different work practices, and problems associated with the evaluation and measurement of particular jobs within the sector. It is pointed out that definition of the creative industries by the the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is 'those activities which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property'. Some difficulties lie in the fact that many creative activities are subsumed within other industries and many non-creative occupations are employed within cultural or creative industries. Key characteristics are identified and an analysis is made on changing skills needs of the following sectors: multimedia; publishing; broadcasting, film and video; music; performing arts; and design. Cross-regional perspectives are addressed, the difficulties in predicting and identifying skill shortages and needs noted and consequent implications for policy identified. In his conclusion, Parker makes it clear that treating creative industries as an entity is important in matching skill needs and addressing difficulties across the sector and notes that the Labour Market and Skills Information (LMSI) focus of the Skills Task Force supports that contention.

Other research reports in this series are indexed from TD/TNC 62.633 to TD/TNC 62.643 and from TD/TNC 62.645 to TD/TNC 62.651. Show less

Regional Development Agencies play a key role in the skills agenda in the United Kingdom and the Skills Development Fund (SDF) provides an important means through which Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) can work towards the achievement of the skills priorities identified in their regional Skills Action Plans (SAPs). In January 2000, York Consulting was commissioned to undertake a study to assess and measure the SDF. The intention of the study was to provide a small-scale rapid consultation on the different ways the SDF was being utilised, and to design performance indicators to assess the general impact of future performance of the Fund and RDAs on skills. This report focuses on the following two objectives of the study: (1) to undertake an early assessment of the SDF in 1999/2000; and (2) to recommend practical improvements to the operation of the Fund. The structure of the report is as follows: Executive summary; Study rationale and objectives; Operation and early assessment of the SDF in 1999/2000; Operation of the Skills Development Fund in 2000/2001; Performance measurement: RDA views; Conclusions and recommendations; Appendices. Show less

This report is a review of research on adult basic skills, commissioned by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) following the publication of 'A fresh start: improving literacy and numeracy (the Moser Report) in 1999. This review covers literacy, numeracy, oracy, English for speakers of other languages, and the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to teach basic skills to adults. Literature searches were conducted to gather information and the report concludes with a set of strategic recommendations. Show less

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