WIREDGOV

Ambitious plan to help boost Nation's job prospects

DEPARTMENT FOR INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS News Release issued by The Government News Network on 16 November 2007

A major investment programme for the skills and learning of the country was unveiled by the Government today. Over the next three years more than £11 billion a year will be invested in education, employment and training initiatives for young people and adults to help boost the country's job prospects.

Over the next three years total spending on learning and skills will rise to £12.3billion a year in 2010/11 - compared to £6.5billion in 2001/02.

At the centre of the programme is a major expansion of apprenticeships with over £1billion in Government funding to increase overall places from 250,000 today to more than 400,000 by 2010/11, provided high quality employer places are available. Achieving these figures in this timescale would deliver the challenges set by Lord Leitch in his review of skills almost 10 years early.

For the first time, funding will be targeted specifically at expanding apprenticeships for adults aged over 25. This will mean 30,000 additional such apprenticeships costing £90million over the next three years.

All apprentices for those aged over 19 will total 125,000 by 2010/11 alongside 281,000 apprenticeships for those aged 16-18.

The Government was setting out its priorities and funding for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), outlining the first stage in its longer term strategy to meets the challenges set out by the Leitch review of skills.

Overall, total DIUS funding for LSC spending for adult skills and apprenticeships will increase to £4.3 billion a year by 2011, helping deliver an increase in spending of 17 per cent on adult learning. The funding will provide over seven million training places over the three year spending review period from 2008/9.

Funding will be focused on training designed to improve job prospects and opportunities for further learning. Investment will be targeted in new priority areas where the greatest benefit will be felt.

Key improvements will include:
* A right to basic skills training where needed, coupled with the biggest ever investment in this area. DIUS will spend around £1.5 billion per year on first steps training - including over 3.6 million learners on 'Skills for Life' courses over the spending review period. To underline the Government's commitment John Denham also published a new booklet 'Skills - Investing in the first steps' setting out the Government's investment and vision for adult learners who have yet to obtain basic skills.
* A right to free, first-time full level 2 adult training (equivalent to 5 A-C GCSEs) through the provision of over 800,000 places in 2010/11 - a 30 per cent increase on 2007/08.
* The provision of over 500,000 full level 3 adult training places (equivalent to 2 A-levels) in 2010/11 an increase of 148 per cent on 2007/08. Free provision will be a right for those aged between 19 and 25.
* A doubling of Government investment in work based skills training to boost the skills and expertise of the workforce. The budget for the 'Train to Gain' programme will rise from £440m to over £1billion in 2010-11 supporting an expected 872,000 learners that year.
* Developing a joined up, one stop advancement service for adults to support people to identify training, develop skills, access child care support and find long term employment.
* Providing learners with 'Skills Accounts' to help fund skills training which will help drive the system to meet individual needs. By 2010/11 helping them access around £500 million of adult learning, increasing to nearly £1.5 billion by 2015.

For young people The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will play a crucial role in helping achieve the ambition to increase participation post-16, raise attainment at 19 and reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).

Nearly £6.8 billion is being invested in learning places for young people - an increase in funding of £758m by 2010. This will be on course to have a full 100 per cent participation in education and training when the participation age is raised to 18 and will cement the delivery of the challenging Level 2 and Level 3 targets at 19.

It is the role of the LSC to deliver these ambitions, to make sure everyone has a suitable place in learning and to reduce young people NEET year on year.

Key improvements include:
* The delivery at post 16 of all 14 diplomas lines across the country leading up to 2013 when every young person has an entitlement to access diplomas.
* The delivery of a rise in apprenticeship and work based learning places across the country for all young people
* A rich and diverse offer for 16-18 year olds to provide the platform by 2015 to stay in education or training until at least 18, with total funding for participation of £6.8 billion.
* Aiming for Level 2 attainment (GCSE or equivalent) to reach 82 percent of 19 year olds by 2011 and 85 percent by 2013.
* Introducing for the first time a threshold target at Level 3 (A level or equivalent) of at least 54 percent of young people achieving this level by age 19 in 2010/11.
* The LSC managing the system to ensure every young person gets the offer of a suitable place, extending the September Guarantee for 16 year olds to 17 year olds.
* Learner Support Funds to enable young people from deprived backgrounds to stay in education and training post 16, including education maintenance allowance of over £600m in each of the CSR years. We have recently announced that EMA will be available for all Entry to Employment participants.
* During 2008/09, introducing a simpler, more transparent and common 16-18 funding system for school sixth forms, colleges and providers. It means colleges, schools, sixth forms, local authorities and the LSC working together to plan education and training to meet young people's needs and funding follows the learner regardless of where they are.
* The LSC working closely with local providers as part of 14-19 partnerships, ensuring that at every level every young person has a complete range of options to suit their needs.
* There will be a simpler, more transparent common funding system which will narrow the funding gap for 16-18 year olds between schools, colleges and providers. We have achieved our commitment to narrowing the gap to 8 percent a year early and the common funding approach will narrow the gap to less than 5 percent by 2008/09.

To support these initiatives, the Government also announced it was making available over £2billion by 2010-11 to help build world class and sustainable education facilities to support this programme.

Writing to the LSC, John Denham Secretary of State, for Innovation Universities and Skills and Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families said that the organisation had made good progress over the last year. They were now using the opportunity given by the creation of both Departments, to set this new and challenging agenda for the organisation.

John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills said:
"For millions of people, skills and learning are the key to improving their lives - whether getting into and on at work, improving job prospects or simply putting more money into their pockets.

"For the country, skills and learning are the key to remaining globally competitive.

"Today's announcement amounts to a kick-start of the Government's drive to put Britain in the premier league for skills. This work will help ensure the future economic competitiveness of the country. It will raise aspirations, improve life chances and strengthen our families and communities."

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families said:
"We want every young person to make the most of their talent in life. Leaving school at sixteen without qualifications is not an option in today's dynamic world where everyone needs skills and qualifications. We must maximise the skills and knowledge of our young people to compete in the global economy.

"This significant investment in education and training is an investment in our country's future. We must provide teenagers with the right options and support as we prepare the ground to successfully raise the participation age to 18."

Mark Haysom, Chief Executive for the Learning and Skills Council said:
"We welcome the increased investment in learning that will give more young people, adults and employers the skills they need to succeed in work and life."

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

1. This press notice relates to England only.

2. DIUS and DCSF today jointly published the Government's Grant Letter to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) outlining the investment strategy following the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review. The LSC's strategy based on this letter is outlined in 'Priorities for Success 3' which was also published today. Both documents are available at http://www.dius.gov.uk, http://www.dcsf.gov.uk and http://www.lsc.gov.uk

3. The Government also today published a document for providers 'Skills Investing in the first steps' which sets out DIUS investment and vision for adult learners who have yet to obtain basic skills. This is available at http://www.dius.gov.uk

4. Lord Leitch's Review of Skills was published in December 2006 and identified skills as one of the most important drivers to a successful economy and a just society that offers opportunities for all citizens. The full report can be viewed at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/leitch_review/review_leitch_index.cfm

5. The Government's response to the Leitch Review 'World Class Skills' was published in July 2007 and set out what targets we need to achieve in order to meet the challenges identified by Lord Leitch. The full report can be viewed at http://www.dius.gov.uk/policy/skills.html