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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 development of information and communication technologies and the accessibility of mobile devices has increased the possibilities of the teaching and learning process anywhere and anytime. Mobile and web application allows the production of constructive teaching and learning models in various educational settings, showing the potential for active learning in health. The objective of this study was to present the design and development of an educational technology (SavingLife, a web, and mobile-based application) for learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation and advanced cardiovascular life support for adults. SavingLife is a technological production, based on the concept of virtual learning and problem-based learning approaches. SavingLife was developed using five phases (analyze, design, develop, implement, evaluate) of the instructional systems development process. The technology presents 10 scenarios and 12 simulations, covering different aspects of basic and advanced cardiac life support skills. The contents can be accessed in a non-linear way leaving the students free to build their knowledge based on their previous experience. Each scenario is presented through interactive tools such as scenario description, assessment, diagnose, intervention and re-evaluation. Animated ECG rhythms, text documents, images, and videos are provided to support procedural and active learning considering the real-life situations. Accessible equally on small to large devices with or without an internet connection, SavingLife offers a dynamic, interactive and flexible tool, placing students at the center of the learning process. SavingLife can contribute to the student's learning in the assessment and management of basic and advanced cardiac life support for adults, in a safe and ethical way.

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The 2003 National Employers Skills Survey (NESS) [the main report is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 79.599] revealed severe skills shortages and gaps at all levels of employment in the UK, with employers regarding one in 10 employees as being incompetent. This guide offers practical advice on how employers can tackle the critical issues highlighted by the NESS survey. Its key message is that businesses need to acknowledge the skills shortages or gaps and adopt a systematic approach to upskilling their workforce. The contents are: Mind the gap; How did we get there?; Aligning skills to business strategy; Carrying out a skills audit; Developing a skills strategy; Upskilling your existing workforce; Attracting new talent; Trouble at the top?; Measuring progress; Giving as well as receiving; Where do we go from here? Show less

This report presents the main findings of a research project on migrant workers and their impact on the regional economy and labour market. The objectives for the research were: to provide the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and its partners with a detailed and robust profile of the migrant worker population in the south east; to provide a snapshot of migrant worker flows to the south east; to assess the impact of migrant worker activities on labour markets in the south east and on the regional economy; to assess the range of skills that migrant workers bring to the south east region; and to highlight key issues and help develop an understanding of the social impacts of economic migration and associated service provision issues in the south east. The study involved a review of existing studies on international labour migration to the UK, an analysis of available secondary data sources on migration; and primary data collection focusing on migrants.

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The National Employer Skills Survey (NESS) is the largest of its kind ever commissioned, and aims to investigate the extent, causes and implications of England's recruitment problems and skills gaps, and at the same time measure employers' training activities. The Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) commissioned reports from a number of Sector Skills Councils, and this report summarises the NESS 2003 for Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land-based sector. This sector has a broad coverage, but for the purposes of this report only three broad clusters are focused upon: environmental industries, animal health and welfare, and land management and production. The overwhelming majority of establishments in this field are micro-businesses, with 94% employing fewer than five people. Due to survey restrictions, self-employed sole-proprietors were not included in the data, though many exist in the Lantra field, and 445 interviews were conducted in total. Employers were asked about specific skills they require now and skills they expected to be required in three years time. The two main occupations in this sector are identified as managers or proprieters in agriculture, and skilled agricultural tradespeople. For the former, communication, customer handling, numeracy, literacy and teamworking skills were all identified as important, while in the case of skilled trades, technical and practical skills are needed at an advanced level. The report also considers the extent of recruitment difficulties and skill gaps, and finds that: 56 per cent of establishments in the lifelong learning sector face hard-to-fill vacancies; 27 per cent of establishments suffer from internal skill gaps, with staff being regarded as less than fully proficient; vacancies and skill gaps are most common amongst skilled trades and elementary occupations, reflecting the importance of technical skills to this sector; the main causes of skill gaps are primarily perceived to be due to staff having a lack of experience; the main causes of hard-to-fill vacancies are a lack of interest in this type of work, and a low number of applicants with the required skills; and the most common skills lacking in applicants are technical and practical skills, communication skills, management skills and problem solving skills. Barriers to developing and maintaining a proficient team of staff in the Lantra sector are identified as including: lack of time for training for those with skill gaps; a lack of cover for training; and a lack of funds for training. The report also considers issues associated with employer engagement in developing their workforce. 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

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

The National Employers Skills Survey 2007 (NESS07) provides detailed information on the incidence, extent and nature of skills problems facing employers, in terms of both recruitment and skills gaps within their existing workforce. It explores employers’ activities and expenditure in relation to training. The NESS07 was commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) along with its partners, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA). This report presents key findings from NESS07. A more detailed investigation of the data can be found in the full report - National Employers Skills Survey 2007: Main Report [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 95.554]. This key findings report is divided into the following sections: Key Findings; Recruitment and Recruitment Problems; Skills Gap; Recruitment of Young People; Training Activity and Expenditure. Headline findings include: Skills gaps are experienced by a minority of employers (15 per cent), and form a small proportion of the total workforce - 6 per cent of all staff are considered to lack full proficiency; The proportion of employers reporting skills gaps has fallen slightly since 2005, continuing a downward trend seen since a high of 23 per cent in 2001; Over two-thirds of employers provide training for at least some of their staff (67 per cent), continuing a steady increase since training was first measured in 2003 (59 per cent); The proportion of the workforce receiving training has also increased from 61 per cent in 2005 and 2004 to 63 per cent in 2007; The cost to employers of providing training totalled 38.6 billion [British pounds] for the 12 months prior to NESS07, up 16 per cent on 2005 (10 per cent when inflation is taken into account). The largest share of this total is due to the labour costs of those receiving training (47 per cent of the total) and those delivering on-the-job training or organising training (37 per cent). Providing training is estimated to cost an average of 1,725 [British pounds] per employee.

The main report is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 95.554. Show less

Pick up any learning and skills sector policy document and you will find an emphasis on the partnership. Sharing resources, know-how and the ideas offers the possibility of finding new ways to engage learners and get the provision right for them. Partnership is not easy - with the opportunity comes the challenge of working well with difference. This publication explores the nature of partnership working within the sector and how partnership can add value for more and different adult learners. It draws on the practical examples from the sector to show how the rhetoric becomes reality. A number of questions will be discussed: Why work in partnership? What is partnership, in practice? What makes partnership and collaboration work best? How can we translate good will and good intentions into effective partnership that makes a difference for learners, and for partners too?

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There is a growing consensus that the only means by which the advanced economies can compete in the era of globalisation is by building on their comparative advantage in education, knowledge and skills, especially at higher levels (Levels 4 and above in the National Qualifications Framework). Since the Dearing report of 1996/97, it has also been increasingly recognised that the further education (FE) sector is ideally placed to improve the accessibility and scope of higher education (HE) at a time when this is a growing economic and political priority. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) are the two bodies that share responsibility for this level of provision. They have therefore been co-operating to establish a co-ordinated strategy for action in this area. In the course of this, the LSC has become aware that, though there is a large corpus of literature relevant to the delivery of higher-level qualifications through further education colleges (FECs), there is currently no coherent, up-to-date overview of the subject. In particular, there is a lack of current information on provision classed as 'non-prescribed' HE, which consists mainly of professional and technical qualifications offered by professional bodies. The present study was therefore commissioned to fill those gaps by consolidating existing data and adding to it, wherever possible. [The research found that] FECs make a highly significant contribution to higher-level provision, especially for learners who might otherwise find HE difficult to access because of lack of prior academic attainment, inadequate funding, geographical location, or lack of confidence.

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