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Jungle trekking: vocational courses and qualifications for young people

The National Skills Task Force has been established by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to assis ... Show more
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 the provision of post-compulsory education and training (PCET) particularly as it relates to vocational qualifications for young people. The author maintains that working through the many options and routes is a daunting task and that the provision is 'fragmented and incoherent, with a number of competing pathways of varying status and value' (Evans et al, 1997). She identifies five key questions which need to be addressed by policy-makers. Do vocational qualifications act as a barrier to young people's participation in vocational education and training? How credible are vocational qualifications and vocational courses in the eyes of young people and employers? How might vocational qualifications and vocational courses be improved and strengthened? How are vocational qualifications and vocational courses viewed by education and training providers? How do vocational qualifications and vocational courses relate to their academic counterparts and how might that relationship be improved? Unwin looks at all the options that 16 year-olds face at the end of compulsory schooling and highlights a plethora of apprenticeships, traineeships and other initiatives. Destination patterns are analysed and the strengths and weaknesses of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) are examined. She presents a range of conclusions to support the young people themselves, the providers of training and the employers, and makes ten policy recommendations to simplify and coordinate the PCET process.
Other research reports in this series are indexed from TD/TNC 62.633 to TD/TNC 62.636 and from TD/TNC 62.638 to TD/TNC 62.651. Show less

Authors: Unwin, Lorna

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: Skills Task Force research paper

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Apprenticeship; Traineeship ... [+] Show more
Employers' training of young people

This report sets out the findings of a study on the form and nature of the work-based training provided for young p ... Show more
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

Authors: Hillage, Jim; Atkinson, John; Kersley, Barbara; Bates, Peter

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: Youth; Skills and knowledge; Research ... [+] Show more
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
Skills for all: proposals for a National Skills Agenda: final report of the National Skills Task Force

The National Skills Task Force was set up to ensure that Britain has the skills needed to ensure high levels of emp ... Show more
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

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

Date: 2000

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: National Skills Task Force

Subjects: Youth; Participation; Lifelong learning ... [+] Show more
Towards a national skills agenda: first report of the National Skills Task Force

The National Skills Task Force was set up to ensure that Britain has the skills needed to ensure high levels of emp ... Show more
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

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: National Skills Task Force

Subjects: Youth; Lifelong learning; Globalisation ... [+] Show more
Employers' net costs of training to NVQ level 2

The aim of this study was to provide a detailed assessment of the economic costs and benefits to employers of train ... Show more
The aim of this study was to provide a detailed assessment of the economic costs and benefits to employers of training to National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 2, or an equivalent standard, for young people aged 16 to 24 in selected occupations. Forty case studies from selected occupations in five industrial sectors were chosen. Four areas have been assessed. They are: (1) the total gross and net costs of training for the full training period; (2) the contribution of Youth Training (YT) to the costs of training; (3) the effect of YT funding on the volumes of young people being trained by employers; and (4) the structure of training offered by employers. Chapters one to three of this report provide detailed information about the methods and definitions employed in the study, measuring the costs and benefits of training and assessing the employers' net costs of training. Details of the costs and benefits from the electronics sector, the construction sector, the food retail sector, the hotel and catering sector and the financial services sector are provided in chapters 4 to 8. Show less

Authors: Hogarth, Terence; Hasluck, Chris; Pitcher, Jane; Shackleton, Ruth ... [+] Show more

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: Youth; Evaluation; Technology ... [+] Show more
Modern Apprenticeships: 1998 survey of young people

Launched in 1995, Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) offer 16 to 24 year olds in England and Wales a work-based route to ... Show more
Launched in 1995, Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) offer 16 to 24 year olds in England and Wales a work-based route to the skills and qualifications needed at craft, supervisory and technical level in industry and business. More than 3,000 MAs and 1500 students at school or college studying for A levels or advanced General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) were surveyed. This study examines what motivated respondents when they made their decisions about their futures, how they found out about their respective activities, what they think about their choices now, and what they expect to be doing after completing the MA. Show less

Authors: Coleman, Nick; Williams, Joel

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: Youth; Participation; Skills and knowledge ... [+] Show more
Connexions: the best start in life for every young person

The Connexions strategy brings together a number of existing and new initiatives aimed at young people in England. ... Show more
The Connexions strategy brings together a number of existing and new initiatives aimed at young people in England. This document sets out the details of the various initiatives within the strategy. It covers the new Connexions Service, ideas for a new wide-ranging way of recognising teenagers' achievements, financial support and the wider education and training policies. The Connexions Service will help support and guide young people through their teenage years. The document is set out in two parts. Part one (chapters one to four) explains the context for the Connexions strategy, the policies for young people and the overall framework for ensuring high levels of participation and attainment in learning. The second part (chapters five to eight) focuses on the new Connexions Service. Show less

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

Date: 2000

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government information

Subjects: Youth; Participation; Policy ... [+] Show more
Progress of low achievers after age sixteen: an analysis of data from the England and Wales Youth Cohort Study

Young people who do badly in their GCSE examinations at age 16 present two challenges for social policy. The first ... Show more
Young people who do badly in their GCSE examinations at age 16 present two challenges for social policy. The first is to minimise the numbers getting poor results while maintaining credible academic standards in examinations. The second is to mitigate the consequences of poor results by providing opportunities for low achievers to improve their qualifications. It is the second of the challenges that this report addresses. It aims to inform the policy debate on how best to provide for these young people through a detailed study of a cohort of low achievers who reached the end of their compulsory schooling in 1995. This report is not about the causes of low achievement. It is about the recent trends in low achievement, and about how the routes low achievers took after age sixteen differed from those taken by young people with better examination results. The report tracks the low achievers' progress after age sixteen over two and a half years, looking at their educational participation, work-based training, employment, any further qualifications that are gained and their satisfaction with the way that things worked out for them. Show less

Authors: Payne, Joan

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

Date: 2000

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Research report

Subjects: Youth; Participation; Outcomes ... [+] Show more
Young people in jobs without training

This study investigated the characteristics, circumstances, attitudes and employment details of 197 young people ag ... Show more
This study investigated the characteristics, circumstances, attitudes and employment details of 197 young people aged 16 and 17 who left school without qualifications at level 2, or above, and who are currently in work but not receiving any formal, structured training that would lead to a recognised qualification at that level. Little was known about the attitudes, circumstances or characteristics of this group. Given the objective of finding the range of opinions and circumstances of this group, a qualitative approach using face-to-face discussions was adopted. This study was commissioned to guide and inform policy making in this area. 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: Youth; Participation; Skills and knowledge ... [+] Show more