At last, the Learning and Skills Council is focusing efforts on the long overdue transformation of FE. In addition to the issues outlined in its report, we have just conducted a study of employers across the nine LSC regions.
The study found that 96 per cent of employers believe national vocational qualifications are highly relevant to their business. But they blame some colleges, where there is a shortage of places on courses and tutors fail to turn up, for holding back vocational training.
Through a more creative approach to delivery, such as work-based learning and courses on demand, perhaps employers would be more likely to invest in the remaining two-thirds of their as yet untrained support staff. Employers surveyed have even indicated they would pay an average of pound;229 per student.
Dan Wright Managing director Protocol Training Barnsley, South Yorkshire
