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This report is the third in an annual series of employer surveys that investigate workforce development ('Learning and training at work 2000' is indexed at TD/TNC 67.435 and 'Learning and training at work 1999' is indexed at TD/TNC 62.664). The objectives of the 2001 survey were to collect information about: the volume, type and pattern of off-the-job training; key indicators of employers' commitment to training such as Investors in People (IiP); learning opportunities offered; and awareness of, and involvement with, a number of initiatives relevant to training. Show less

The aim of this project was to evaluate combinations of mixed further education (FE) and higher education (HE) provision in the following contexts: mergers of FE and HE institutions; transfers of FE institutions to HE status; and mixed economy FE colleges delivering substantial levels of HE provision. It intended to: evaluate the effects of FE/HE mergers and transfers of FE institutions to the HE sector on the structure and organisation of the institution; identify the issues arising from FE/HE mergers and transfers of FE institutions to the HE sector which relate to development of good policies and the identification of best practice; evaluate the effects of FE/HE mergers and transfers of FE institutions to the HE sector on the scale and scope of FE and HE provision; and identify the barriers to safeguarding FE provision in FE/HE mergers and transfers of FE institutions to the HE sector. The project involved eleven case studies. Show less

The ‘Skills for Life’ survey, carried out in the UK between June 2002 and May 2003, aimed to produce a national profile of adult literacy, numeracy, English as a second language (ESOL), and information and communications technology (ICT) skills over five broad levels of competence, and also to assess the impact that different levels of skill had on people’s lives. There were two parts to the survey; the first part collected respondents’ background details and tested literacy and numeracy skills, and the second part consisted of two ICT assessments, including a practical component. The results were assessed against the national framework of standards for literacy and numeracy, and revealed that 16% of respondents had only entry level literacy skills, and 47% had entry level numeracy skills. Other important findings concerned the relationship between low literacy and numeracy skills and socio-economic deprivation, the relative skills of men and women, the differences between age groups, and the association between good literacy and numeracy skills and education and salary level. Show less

The Neighbourhood Support Fund (NSF) is designed to re-engage disaffected young people aged 13 to 19 years in education, training or employment through targeted intervention at the local level. Managing agents deliver NSF through local voluntary and community-based organisations that offer a range of activities and support for young people. The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to carry out research into the extent to which the NSF is supporting its goals. This report presents the key findings from the research undertaken between July 2001 and March 2002. The objectives were to investigate how NSF is being received by young people and to identify the key factors influencing their participation and outcomes. The perceptions of project workers and the benefits of the program for participants were also investigated. The research included an analysis of NSF project management information and case-study visits to 20 projects. The research indicated: (1) an ongoing demand for services provided by NSF projects from young people whose needs were not being met by mainstream education provision; (2) an increase in participation levels; (3) positive outcomes for around half of those leaving NSF projects; (4) positive feedback from NSF project staff; (5) that NSF is successfully recruiting youth from target groups; (6) that NSF projects are valued by youth participants; (7) that the NSF projects enhanced skills, self-esteem and educational and career aspirations; and (8) that critical factors contributing to engagement of youth in NSF projects included building relationships and providing participants with a sense of ownership and choice. Show less

As part of the UK government's commitment to ensuring that by the age of 19, all young people are ready for higher education or skilled employment, the government has a long-tern vision of a simplified financial support system for 16-19 year olds. The aim of this review, which builds on the Education Maintenance Allowance, is to ensure that 16-19 year olds have the support and incentives they need to participate in education and training. This document reports on the review. The report describes and launches consultation on short and long-term measures being taken by the government to ensure opportunities for all young people. The chapters are: Introduction; Supporting choices; Supporting young people; Simplifying support. Included as appendices are: Supporting participation; Supporting transitions; Australia's youth allowance. 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 Tourism and Cultural Industries Skills Dialogue and provides an assessment of trends in employment and skill needs and associated issues in these industries. The ability of these industries to compete successfully on a global stage relies on raising service standards to meet rising customer expectations and choice. In the UK, competitive weakness is mainly a result of growing skills gaps and shortages. The report covers a number of sectors: hotels and catering; arts and entertainment; cultural, natural and built heritage; travel, tourism services and events; and sports and recreation, leisure parks and attractions. It examines in detail changing social patterns, employment patterns and economic drivers, employment trends, skills needs, and skills supply and skills gaps. Common skills needs for the sectors are identified. Skills gaps apply across the sectors in management skills, the need for multi-skilling whilst being a specialist, work readiness of graduates, adequate information and communications technology (ICT) skills, and customer care skills and positive service attitudes in front-of-house staff. The low level of training provision across the sectors is one of the most important reasons for the skills gaps. The report demonstrates the need for more investment in skills and training across the sectors to ensure the quality of products and services provided. Recommendations for future action are provided in the areas of: education and training, particularly in management skills, information technology (IT) skills and customer care skills; the development of the whole workforce including part-time, seasonal, transient, and freelance/casual workers; and support for small and medium-sized businesses in developing staff management skills, providing appropriate training to meet changing market needs, and improving the retention of their existing staff. Show less

The Modern Apprenticeship Advisory Committee was appointed by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in March 2001 to provide advice to the Secretary and the Learning and Skills Council on a three year action plan for the development, promotion and delivery of Modern Apprenticeships in the United Kingdom (UK). The initial sections of the report provide a rationale for the development of an apprenticeship system, and an outline of the current situation after recent reforms. Recommendations are made in relation to the essential aspects of a national framework for apprenticeships, development in the content and certification of apprenticeships, the delivery of apprenticeships, and pre-employment and 'other training'. The report also provides projections of targets for the eventual place of apprenticeships within the education and training system, suggests basic entitlements to apprenticeship places, and looks at aspects of the task of promoting apprenticeships. The report concludes with a suggested timetable for the implementation of the action plan and a summary of recommendations. Annexes contain the terms of reference and committee membership, representations from various organisations, market research outcomes, participation statistics for apprenticeships by sector and gender, and the timetable for implementation. Show less

In July 1998, the United Kingdom government launched the Adult Community Learning Fund (ACLF) aimed at engaging new learners in a variety of opportunities, improving basic skills, developing the capacity of community-based organisations to deliver learning opportunities, and building partnerships among local people, community organisations, voluntary agencies and education providers. This report describes the results of an evaluation of this project and covers the first four rounds. The key findings include: the ACLF has widened individual participation; it has contributed towards new ways of improving basic skills; and a much wider group of organisations have become involved in promoting non-standard approaches to learning. The structure of the report is as follows: the first section sets out the scope of the study and provides background information on ACLF and the evolution of the Fund; section two outlines the methodology; section three considers the extent and nature of individual learning as a result of the Fund's support; section four discusses the organisational level of learning; section five covers what has been learned from the Fund as a whole; and the final section sets out the conclusions and recommendations. Show less

The main aim of the research project reported here was to address the need for comprehensive data on access to and use of information and communication technology (ICT) by people in deprived areas to be collected. By analysing the data thus collected , background information could be provided to inform policy makers and practitioners about differentials in access to, usage of and attitudes towards, ICT from people from Black and minority ethnic (BME) groups. A national questionnaire survey of over 1,000 BME people and nearly 400 white households, focus groups were held and local case studies were undertaken across Great Britain.

The key findings of the research are: (1) Many of the variations in levels of ICT awareness, ownership and use were accounted for by demographic, household structure and economic factors, but there were also ethnic group factors in levels of access to and use of ICT in deprived communities; (2) Being from a Black ethnic group (used here to refer collectively to African and Caribbean people) was a significant factor in lack of ownership of a personal computer (PC) and (non) use of the Internet at home, even after economic factors were accounted for; the barrier of cost, related to economic position and income, can account for relatively low levels of PC ownership among respondents from Black ethnic groups; (3) After controlling for other factors like age, South Asian people were significantly less likely than other groups to have experience of using the Internet and were significantly less likely to have formal training in ICT skills, with language difficulties and cultural differences cites as reasons; (4) 63 per cent of people, both from BME and White groups, reported that they had non-existent or beginner-level ICT skills, with levels of ICT skill not differing greatly between different ethnic groups; (5) Those who had undertaken ICT training cited employability and employment as the primary motivating factors for developing ICT skills; (6) For those who had them, the most common use of a PC at home was for own study or learning and computers were regarded as important for study and work by all ethnic groups. Show less

This report presents the findings of a small scale, qualitative study carried out between June and September 2002 with the aim of evaluating the extent to which the Summer Plus program has been successful in reducing street crime in 34 Local Education Authority (LEA) areas across England. The report provides a brief overview of the Summer Plus program, including implementation issues, delivery models, recruitment and training of key workers, recruitment of young people thought to be at risk of becoming involved in crime, the activities and experiences of the key workers and the young people, continuity and exit strategies, value for money and accountability. A variety of flexible, client-centred and needs led activities were offered to young people, with developmental approaches to activity provision which usually included an explicit educational component, having the most impact on the young people. The study found that the impact of the programs on the young people who participated was extremely positive, revealing improvements in self confidence, empathy with others, respect for authority figures and a will for positive change. Few systematic assessments were carried out and no evidence was found of formal assessment packages. Exit strategies were not in place in all areas. Initial follow-up data suggests that a high proportion of those eligible are returning to education. Finally, early indications are that crime by young people has decreased more in Summer Plus areas that in the rest of England. Show less