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This report sets out the findings of a study on the form and nature of the work-based training provided for young people in employment. The main aim was to contribute to the understanding of the sorts of activities that constitute work-based training for young people in employment. The study was undertaken in two parts. The first was a literature review and the second was a fieldwork stage, revolving around a series of employer-based case studies. The report is divided into three sections. One chapter looks at where the young people are employed and establishes the link between recruitment and training, which underpins the employers' recruitment strategies. The next chapter examines the approaches to training young people that were adopted by the case study employers, the form and nature of the training they provided and their practices for recording and accrediting training. The skills that young people develop as a result of their learning experiences and the reason why employers provide the training that they do are also covered. The key findings are summarised with the conclusion that the training that is provided for young people tends to reflect the employer's overall resourcing strategy. 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 was established in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1998 to develop a National Skills Agenda to ensure that the workforce had the necessary skills to maintain high levels of employment, to compete in the global marketplace, and to provide learning and employment opportunities for all individuals. This document from the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, sets out the Department for Education and Employment's (DfEE's) plans to act on the recommendations of the National Skills Task Force to realise the skill development required for economic success. The plan aims to strengthen the link between learning and employment, create excellence in vocational learning, provide second chance learning opportunities for adults, ensure equal opportunities for both men and women in job searching and skill development, and engage employers in the skills agenda.

The White Paper on enterprise, skills and innovation 'Opportunity for all in a world of change', is indexed at TD/IRD 88.20. Show less

The National Skills Task Force was set up to ensure that Britain has the skills needed to ensure high levels of employment, be competitive in the global marketplace and provide opportunities for all. This research paper contains the evidence base for the Task Force's final report 'Skills for all: proposals for a National Skills Agenda'. It comprises 8 chapters and extensive supporting tables and graphs. In his Foreword, the Chairman, Chris Humphries, maintains that the body of evidence will form a base for planners and policy-makers of education and training, as well as for those advising individuals and employers on training and development. Chapter 1 - Introduction, sets out the purpose of the report; Chapter 2 - What we mean by skill and why skills are important, defines and identifies the main skill types and summarises their benefits to all; Chapter 3 - Changes in the nature of jobs and skill requirements, outlines changes and trends in demands; Chapter 4 - Qualifications of the workforce and job-related skills, looks at the relationship between skills and qualifications and the growth and pattern of training; Chapter 5 - The balance between skills supply and demand: skill-related recruitment difficulties, examines the extent and nature of recruitment difficulties and skill shortages experienced by employers; Chapter 6 - Internal skills gaps and future skill requirements, examines employer perceptions of current and future skill deficiencies; Chapter 7 - Market signals - what earnings and the nature of unemployment tell us about where skills are needed, analyses the rate of return to skills and considers the wage differentials between various skills; and Chapter 8 - Skill priorities, describes the six main skill priority areas which, evidence suggests, are the highest priority for further investment.

Other reports of the National Skills Task Force are indexed from TD/TNC 62.653 to TD/TNC 62.656 and an initial response to the final report is indexed at TD/TNC 62.658. 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.

This paper examines how economists forecast skill needs, how the economy responds to a lack of skills and the economic consequences of not anticipating skills needs. Following an introduction and summary, the authors first of all examine skills shortages and why we need to anticipate skill needs. They identify the results of skill shortages such as lower quality, lower productivity and higher wages and note the impact of the measures taken by firms to adjust to these shortages. They then discuss the difficulties implicit in leaving it to market mechanisms to address the problems. Finally, they analyse how economists attempt to forecast skills. They discuss occupational forecasting and whether it can be a useful indicator for predicting skill change, question the links between occupations and skills and present some case study examples of skill changes, particularly multi-skilling, in large organisations.

Other research reports in this series are indexed from TD/TNC 62.634 to TD/TNC 62.651. Show less

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

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.

This paper considers issues relating to the measurement of skill for national statistical purposes, drawing on research leading to the revision of the national occupational classification for the United Kingdom (UK), SOC90. (Note: the revised classification will be referred to as SOC2000.) It aims to provide advice on the measurement of skill and the monitoring of change and to explain how the revised classification will affect the analysis of skill change and lead to a re-examination of forecasting of occupational structure. During the two-year revision process, perceived inadequacies were identified and the paper notes the major problems of definition that arose. Following the introduction, Section 2 presents a brief history of occupational classification in the UK. Section 3 describes the conceptual basis of the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). Section 4 looks at problems with SOC90 and the constraints placed on the process. Section 5 briefly discusses the major processes of labour market change which shaped the revision. Section 6 identifies the sources and methods that were used in investigating occupational change. Section 7 presents an outline of the major changes to be introduced within SOC2000. Section 8 presents the authors' conclusions, in which they point out the difficulties caused by the speed of change in both skill areas and work organisation, but also maintain that this will be a better tool for the measurement of skill and for job-matching purposes.

Other research reports in this series are indexed from TD/TNC 62.633 to TD/TNC 62.650. Show less

The National Skills Task Force was set up to ensure that Britain has the skills needed to ensure high levels of employment, be competitive in the global marketplace and provide opportunities for all. This final report brings together the themes and recommendations of the three interim reports. Proposals for a national skills agenda are presented in three areas: policy actions to improve the supply side of education and training; an approach to managing the system so that employment needs and learning strategies match; and a set of targets and measures to monitor and improve progress. Chapter 1 outlines the vision for a National Skills Agenda; Chapter 2 summarises the findings and is an assessment of the main skills gaps and shortages; Chapter 3 presents the features of a new post-16 education and training system; Chapter 4 examines a strategy for stimulating demand and managing the system; and Chapter 5 looks at the way forward in terms of priorities, targets, roles and responsibilities. The publication also contains five annexes detailing terms of reference, membership of the Task Force, publications list and definitions.

Other reports of the National Skills Task Force are indexed from TD/TNC 62.653 to TD/TNC 62.655 and at TD/TNC 62.657 and an initial response to the final report is indexed at TD/TNC 62.658. Show less

Subsidised skills training has an important role among the battery of measures that comprise the British government's policies to help long-term unemployed adults to find jobs. This study evaluates the effectiveness of such training for the individual who receives it. Does it help unemployed people to find jobs more quickly, and if so, what kinds of jobs does it lead to? Which elements in training programs are the most effective? How long-lasting are the benefits that training gives unemployed people and does it increase their potential earnings? The present evaluation focuses on a program formerly known as Training for Work (TfW). Although this program no longer exists under that name, most of the features of TfW have been retained in what is now termed 'work-based learning for unemployed adults' and such training is one of the options available to unemployed people under the New Deal. Thus the findings of the study remain highly relevant to current policy. Show less

The National Skills Task Force was set up to ensure that Britain has the skills needed to ensure high levels of employment, be competitive in the global marketplace and provide opportunities for all. It presents a vision for modernising Britain's education and training system. This publication reports on the first three months' work of the Task Force, which which will provide advice on skills needs and shortages, practical measures to raise the level of sustainable employment, what changes are needed in the long term and how they can be met, and how to ensure that the education and training system responds appropriately to the identified needs.

Other reports of the National Skills Task Force are indexed from TD/TNC 62.654 to TD/TNC 62.657 and an initial response to the final report is indexed at TD/TNC 62.658. Show less