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Engaging adults in higher learning, and opening up more opportunities for them to study part-time in ways that fit around their work and family circumstances, are critical both to economic growth and to social mobility. The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) has long argued that higher education should not be viewed in isolation but as part of a wider framework of lifelong learning. It is vital that in formulating policy for the sector the Government takes into account all aspects of the system that support adults into learning, and recognises their interconnectedness. Achieving a better articulation of the way in which the different elements of the system relate to each other is critical both to social mobility, a key concern of the Government which is also an important aspiration of the 2011 White Paper 'Higher education: students at the heart of the system', and to boosting economic competitiveness. The main messages of this reply to the White Paper are summarised under four themes: fairer funding; quality and information; a diverse and responsive sector; and social mobility. Concern is expressd that the unintended consequences of some of the Government's reforms to higher education could prevent adults from playing their full part in economic and social renewal. Show less

Growing evaluation evidence confirms the impact of capital investment on building participation rates, retention rates and attainment, and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) recognise the crucial importance for learning of the physical environment. The capital strategy is designed to support the LSC's three national priorities: (1) creating demand for learning and skills; (2) transforming the further education (FE) system to meet demand; and (3) delivering better skills, better jobs and better lives. This document describes how the LSC's capital programme will be targeted to support the delivery of the organisation's key aims and priorities.

Excerpt from publication. Show less

The 2005 National Employers Skills Survey (NESS) was commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), in partnership with the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). It provides up-to-date information on the incidence, extent and nature of skills problems faced by employers and explores employers' activities and expenditure in relation to training. Over 74,500 employers were interviewed and comparisons are made with results from employer surveys dating back to 2001. This document is the main report from the survey. It is presented in seven sections: following the executive summary and introduction, section three explores the recruitment problems facing employers and their causes, focusing on the incidence, number, distribution and density of vacancies caused at least partly by a lack of skills, experience or qualifications among those applying; section four examines skills gaps within the workforce and their main causes; section five investigates the recruitment of 16-to-24-year-olds over the past 12 months and explores employers' perceptions of the work-readiness of these recruits and which skills, if any, are found to be lacking; section six focuses on training and workforce development, and explores the extent, nature and volume of training and workforce development activity; and the final section examines employer expenditure on training. Findings include: there has been little change since 2004 in the proportion of employers experiencing difficulty filling vacancies; the proportion of employers affected by skills gaps has once again decreased over the past 12 months, as it has every year since 2001; 21% of employers have recruited a young person into their first job direct from education in the past 12 months; 65% of employers have provided training in the previous 12 months, with the vast majority providing some off-the-job training; and total employer training expenditure over the previous 12 months was UKP 33.3 billion.

A related report containing the key findings is indexed at TD/TNC 86.444. Show less

This article reports on how continuing professional development (CPD) has come to be recognised as an important means of progression. The author notes that we are currently living in the knowledge society - or as it is sometimes called, the learning society - and that it is a time in which one must continuously be learning in order to keep up with, and stay ahead of, changes in our working lives. New structures of learning and thought are needed to cope with these changes, and lifelong learning is especially useful as it goes beyond the traditional 'education for work' concept, and emphasises personal as well as professional development. Questions are raised about how CPD relates to organisational learning, and the point is made that effective ways of measuring and assessing learning still must be found. The article does not provide answers to these issues, but is instead intended as a means of prompting discussion and thought. It concludes with the author's scenario for learning in the future. Show less

The Policy Research Institute at Leeds Metropolitan University was asked by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to provide a ‘rapid review’ of research evidence pertaining to apprenticeships. This was commissioned in the wake of the [UK] government handing responsibility for the new National Apprenticeship Service to the LSC in January 2008. The review draws together the findings from a range of research reports, both commissioned research and academic; whilst considering evaluations and policy papers from national government and relevant quasi-public sector agencies. The review also considers evidence on apprenticeships from other UK home nations and a selection of comparative papers from overseas. Given the broad subject heading and the evolving policy frameworks at the heart of government, this research focuses on more contemporary research, with the vast majority of evidence emanating from studies undertaken in the last two or three years.

Excerpt from published introduction. Show less

The purpose of this policy discussion paper is to identify barriers to equal access to learning opportunities for older people aged 50 years and over in the United Kingdom. The paper includes a background description of demographic factors, outlines National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) survey research into older learners' participation in formal and informal learning, and discusses why the barriers to older people's access to learning should be urgently addressed. A range of examples of good practice and settings and sectors of education provision, including local authorities, further education, higher education and the voluntary sector, are described. Distance learning is ideal for older people and making provision for learning through information technology and broadcast media is discussed. A series of new government initiatives, including the Better Government for Older People program, are outlined. A number of major issues which influence the access to and participation in learning programs of older people, including discrimination, disability, curriculum relevance, the learning environment, and funding of learning, are discussed and recommendations are made as to how these factors might be changed for the better. Show less

This article reflects on young people and adult education from two perspectives: that of a human right and that of human development. The first perspective suggests that access to education is a basic human right. The author discusses this in the context of Brazil, where, it is suggested, the political process has impeded the concrete expression of this right. The article details the international position on this aspect of human rights, with adult education being affirmed by the international community as a fundamental human right. It points out that while the educational rights of young people and adults are assured by law in Latin American countries, people are still being excluded because of gender, race, poverty, special needs and rural or remote location. From the perspective of human development, in Latin America development is considered to be economic growth, anchored in technological development. This does not produce change in social or educational inequality. The author suggests new model for development, one that includes not only economic growth but also takes into account human development, in which equality and access to education play a key role. Show less

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has an overall policy of performance improvement, and this document describes the Council’s plan to raise the standards of colleges and providers which cause concern. Of particular focus will be those providers in need of major interventions and rapid improvements in the quality of provision. The paper sets out several policies and principles which apply to all providers funded by the LSC, and looks specifically at further education colleges and work based learning providers. Several areas of the paper look at the Council’s powers in this area, outline successful and acceptable plans for providers, and list the key factors which indicate when the threshold for major intervention has been reached, and the appropriate communication which must take place between the LSC and deficient providers. Show less

The Train to Gain service is intended to build upon the experience of Employer Training Pilots, and is available to employers as an independent and impartial brokerage service to diagnose business needs and source appropriate training provision. Brokers are contracted by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to deliver the service, which is presently moving from its pilot phase towards full national roll out. Train to Gain is available to all employers, but brokers will primarily target new, small and 'hard to reach' businesses. This report documents the first of three waves of evaluation of the pilot phase of the service, and covers employers contacted in April and May 2006. Evaluation is intended to ascertain employer ratings of importance and satisfaction about 11 key measures related to the service.

Excerpts from publication reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

There is growing concern among education providers, organisers and tutors in England about the narrowing or closure of programmes for adults in some locations, institutions and curriculum areas in response to policy priorities and targets. As a consequence of actual or expected pressure from their local LSC [Learning and Skills Council], some further education colleges have dropped their 'other provision' while some LEAs [Local Education Authorities] have narrowed the range of programmes they offer adults. This discussion paper considers these developments and their implications. Looking at specific government priorities, such as the Level 2 entitlement and Skills for Life provision, the paper scrutinises the implications on both the curriculum, being distorted and narrowed by pressures to meet particular targets, and the growing neglect of people with the lowest skills levels, as providers feel constrained to recruit learners most likely to reach the required level of qualification. The paper examines the potential additional impact of forthcoming changes in the planning and funding of adult provision, arguing that current developments could be detrimental not only to the overall spread and diversity of learning opportunities but also to the goal of widening participation. Probing the assumptions about 'usefulness' that underlie current priorities, [the author] suggests that the most effective way of achieving national priorities and targets would be to provide a broad and flexible curriculum that responds not to external requirements but to adult learners' own diverse interests and needs.

Published summary reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less