Agenda item

Sue Shelley presented the submitted report in respect of the recent publication of the Skills for Sustainable Growth: Government Proposals for the Future of Adult and Community Learning.

She reported that the proposals within the publication reflected the intention to create a more responsive and flexible system, both to the needs of employers and the demands of learners.

The Government had recognised there was still a problem with the level of literacy and would continue to provide free training in Basic Skills for those who left school without them.  The delivery of Basic Skills was to be reviewed with a move away from targets and more of a focus on equipping individuals with the skills they needed to get a job and play a full part in society.

Providers would be given a greater freedom and would be expected to develop social partnerships with employers, local communities and voluntary and community sector in order to deliver learning. 

It was expected that those individuals coming from other countries to work in England or their employers should meet the cost of English language courses as funding for ESOL would not be available in the workplace.  Full funding for ESOL would only be available to those actively seeking work on Jobseekers Allowance and Employment Support Allowance.

All providers would be encouraged to support the principle of getting as many people as possible on-line as possible by 2012.  There were currently still 9.2 million adults in the UK (18%) who had not used the internet.  The most disadvantaged would still be supported to address this through free short courses, either as part of other accreditation or through Adult and Community Learning.

The Government had recognised the importance of informal Adult and Community Learning for developing skills and improving community engagement, and future funding would be prioritised to those people who needed the most help and had the fewest opportunities.  Most learners would be expected to at least part-fund and in many cases fully fund their learning.  The intention was to move to co-funding of a first Level 2 qualification for those over 24 years from 2012/13.  Any subsequent Level 2 qualification would be co-funded.  From 2013/14, Level 3 qualifications and above for those over 24 years of age would be funded through new loans.

Every adult would be offered a Lifelong Learning Account, which would offer access to the new FE student loans and other financial support, e.g. an enhanced learner support fund.  This account would also offer incentives for learning, including a means of recognising the social contribution made through volunteering.

A new all-age Career Service would be established, working in partnership with Jobcentre Plus to help jobseekers improve their skills. An integrated system of online support for employers would be available through the Businesslink website, which would allow employers to access diagnostic tools to help them make decisions on training to meet their business needs.

Resolved:- (1) That the Government Strategy for Adult and Community Learning be  noted.

(2) That a further report regarding the impact of the strategy on the Council’s Adult Learning delivery be submitted when further information is available.