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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.

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The fourth National Employers Skills Survey (NESS) has revealed a steady upward trend in most areas of skills development, according to the views of over 79,000 employers. NESS gathers and analyses data on the issues employers face in terms of recruitment, skills gaps and training. The findings are positive with fewer employers reporting skills gaps and the percentage of all vacancies caused by skills shortage, showing a marked fall. There has been an increase in the proportion of employers providing training, holding a training plan and budget, which has led to an increase in the cost of training for employers of 15.9 per cent compared to 2005. Key findings from the survey include: 67 per cent of establishments have funed or arranged training in the last year; Employer training spend for 2007 was 38.6 billion [British pounds] an increase of 16 per cent (10 per cent when inflation is taken into account); Almost half of employers have a training plan and over a third have a training budget; There has been a reduction in the number of vacancies caused by lack of skills (25 per cent in 2005 compared to 21 per cent in 2007). The study was undertaken in collaboration with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA).

A related report containing the key findings is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 95.555. Show less

The National Learner Satisfaction Survey (NLSS), undertaken by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), provides an overview of delivery and satisfaction with education and training among learners aged 16 or over in England. The NLSS 2004/05, carried out between February and June 2005, looked at a range of programs and interviewed learners about their perceptions of the delivery of education and training and their satisfaction levels in relation to the quality of teaching, management of learning, pre-entry advice and guidance, learner support, benefits and impacts of learning. The focus of this report is on adult and community learning (ACL) provision. Key messages include: 33 per cent of learners were 'extremely' satisfied with their overall learning experience; male learners were more satisfied than female learners and younger learners and learners from minority ethnic groups all displayed lower levels of satisfaction; learners with disabilities were more satisfied overall than those without; and the most common reasons given for leaving the course early were health reasons, excess workload, wrong course and problems with the quality of teaching. The contents are: Executive summary; Introduction; Overall satisfaction with the learning experience; Overall satisfaction with the quality of teaching/training; Information and guidance prior to entry; Support for learners; Impact of learning and attitudes to learning.

Reports from the 2004/05 NLSS are indexed at TD/TNC 86.393 and from TD/TNC 87.439 to TD/TNC 87.443. Show less

The National Learner Satisfaction Survey (NLSS), undertaken by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), provides an overview of delivery and satisfaction with education and training among learners aged 16 or over in England. The NLSS 2004/05, carried out between February and June 2005, looked at a range of programs and interviewed learners about their perceptions of the delivery of education and training and their satisfaction levels in relation to the quality of teaching, management of learning, pre-entry advice and guidance, learner support, benefits and impacts of learning. The focus of this report is on work-based learning (WBL) provision. Key messages include: nine in 10 learners reported some level of satisfaction with their experience overall; in terms of quality of delivery, eight per cent thought that the provider/college was badly run/disorganised and eight per cent mentioned specific problems with tutors/trainers or assessors; female learners appeared to be more satisfied with their overall learning experience; learners with disabilities were slightly less likely to state that they were either 'extremely' or 'very' satisfied with their experience overall; learners in minority ethnic groups were less likely to state that they were either 'extremely' or 'very' satisfied with their learning experience; and the most common reason cited overall for leaving the course early was that the course or program was wrong for the learner. The contents are: Executive summary; Introduction; Overall satisfaction with the learning experience; Overall satisfaction with the quality of teaching/training; Information and guidance prior to entry; Support for learners; Impact of learning and attitudes to learning.

Reports from the 2004/05 NLSS are indexed at TD/TNC 86.393 and from TD/TNC 87.439 to TD/TNC 87.443. Show less

In September 2001, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) established the Distributed and Electronic Learning Group (DELG) to advise on strategies through which distributed and electronic learning (DEL) could be employed to contribute to its mission to equip young people and adults in the UK with world class knowledge and skills by the year 2010. Electronic learning (e-learning) is defined as learning with the assistance of information and communications technology (ICT) tools. DELG’s major task was to provide advice to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) on the delivery of a coordinated strategy for securing delivery of new forms of learning, specifically the innovative use of information technology, locally, regionally and nationally. The inquiry addressed the role of DEL in promoting social inclusion and widening participation in education and in workforce development. It also examined how DEL could be accommodated within funding, accountability and monitoring systems, the appropriate types of learning systems, delivery and content, and how to meet quality and evaluation needs. This report provides an analysis of the implications, challenges and opportunities generated by the increasing use of ICTs in British society and the associated growth of e-learning. The report also contains a number of recommendations as to how the LSC can best provide leadership and influence these developments. The recommendations are intended to facilitate effective LSC support and high quality provision for e-learners in the post-16 educational sector. Show less

Skills in England 2007 provides an up-to-date assessment of the skills arena. It highlights the key skills issues facing the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and its partners, based on a comprehensive review of developments and of the evidence that has emerged over the past year. The report highlights that collectively, the LSC and its partners must continue to find ways to increase the demand for skills from employers and ensure that everyone, whether an employer or an individual, is able to access the learning opportunities that are suitable for them.

Four volumes have been produced: 1. Key Messages: outlining key findings and policy implications; 2. Research Report: providing in-depth analysis; 3. Sectoral Perspectives: providing insights across industry; 4. Regional/Local Perspectives: summarising the geographical situation.

Volume 1: Key Messages sets out the main findings and broad policy implications stemming from the research undertaken and reviewed for Skills in England 2007. It highlights the key issues facing the LSC and its partners, with a view to helping identify the key priorities for skills.

Excerpt from publication reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

Volumes 2-4 are indexed from TD/TNC 91.283 to TD/TNC 91.285. Show less

Sharing good practice, and learning from the experiences of others, is becoming an increasingly valued way of improving quality and raising standards in post-16 education and training. This report investigates ways in which colleges are sharing good practice as a means of improving quality, and looks at five particular colleges who are doing so with the support of the Further Education Standards Fund. These colleges form the five major case studies of the report, with each also outlining another two colleges with which they share a partnership. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 46 college staff, as well as two group discussions. The five case studies outline different ways of sharing good practice, ranging from conferences, consultancy and workshops, to a regional benchmarking network and cross-college activities and curriculum areas. An overall assessment of what does and does not work in relation to sharing good practice is presented, along with an outline of the main findings, which are grouped under the four headings of: initial considerations; activities for sharing good practice; managing the process; and measuring the impact. Show less

This is an overview and synthesis of the Learning and Skills Development Agency's (LSDA's) research and support activity that applies to 14-19 year olds. It pulls together various strands of activity within LSDA between 2000 and 2005 to provide a comprehensive picture of the publications relating to this age group. It is designed for use by policy-makers, practitioners, learners, parents and other stakeholders in the educational system.

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

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and what was previously the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) have been working with the FE system (and particularly with FE colleges) to implement the reforms set out in Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances, and to respond to the challenges set out by Lord Leitch in his recent report Prosperity for All in the Global Economy: World Class Skills (published by HM Treasury in December 2006). One of the key issues is the need to improve awareness and understanding of the role of the FE system among stakeholders. To achieve this, the LSC commissioned Ipsos MORI to conduct research among key stakeholders on their understanding and perceptions of the role of the FE system. This research provides a baseline measure of perceptions and attitudes against which future progress can be measured.

Excerpt from published introduction reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

'Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances' is indexed at TD/IRD 88.158 and 'Prosperity for All in the Global Economy: World Class Skills' is indexed at TD/IRD 88.157. Show less

The ‘LSC Corporate Plan 2004’ (indexed at TD/TNC 71.535) sets out LSC’s vision of young people and adults in England having knowledge and productive skills matching the best in the world by 2010. This draft strategy, covering three years to 2005, is intended to show how LSC, both locally and nationally, will achieve this. It is a consultative document which outlines the consultation process, sets the context, and describes the structural changes to be achieved. These are: creating a demand-led system; improving supply and capacity; establishing the framework; and measuring progress. Also included is the consultation response form.

The Learning and Skills Development Agency’s (LSDA’s) response to this strategy is indexed at TD/TNC 71.351. Show less