LSC Research - Published
Identifying Effective Practice in Raising Young People’s Aspirations
Published September 2009
Identifying Effective Practice in Raising Young People’s Aspirations provides an evidence base to inform future efforts in raising young people’s aspirations. The focus of the study is on England since 2005 and those strategies, interventions and practices that have proved to work most effectively in terms of achieving the engagement/re-engagement of young people with learning, and the progression of those already engaged.
The research examines the various stages in the learner journey and highlights the effective practice at each stage that can lead to raising young people’s aspirations. The report provides a detailed literature review of effective practice in raising the aspirations of young people, together with six case study reports, which showcase innovative approaches, involving a wide range of partners working with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including young parents, young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and those in care.
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A longitudinal study of out of work Further Education Learners
Published 12 August 2009
This research follows over 4,800 learners, who were not working when they started a further education (FE) course in 2005/06. These learners were surveyed in late 2008 to explore the continuing impact that participating in FE had had on them. It includes evidence of: the value of FE in moving people closer to, or into employment; the reported longer term benefits of participating in FE; and further evidence in terms of helping people to enter self employment.
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Understanding the impact of ethnicity on perceptions of workplace skills and training in the North West Published 8 June 2009
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) commissioned ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd in July 2008 to carry out research to understand the impact that ethnicity had on employers' perceptions of the skill and training requirements of their workforce. The research was to be undertaken in the North West of England.
The main aim of the research was to provide actionable findings to inform services delivery about how best to support BME owned businesses in the North West. Priority areas for the research to cover included:
- The processes used by BME businesses to recruit and ascertain the skills that prospective employees have.
- Employer perceptions of training requirements
- Awareness and use of training advice and guidance
- Awareness and use of business support providers and programmes
- The barriers and enablers to accessing training
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Identifying sectors with prospects for expanding the number of Apprenticeships
Published 5 May 2009 The World-class Apprenticeships: Unlocking Talent, Building Skills for All, the Government's strategy for the future of Apprenticeships in England highlighted key areas that need to be addressed. To meet the Leitch ambitions by 2020 this would mean over 250,000 starts and 190,000 successful completions.
Growth in the apprenticeship offer and take-up will depend in large part on stimulating employer involvement across sectors - ensuring those that are currently offering apprenticeships continue to do so and expend their offer, and engaging new employers to offer apprenticeships.
This project was commissioned by the LSC to provide assistance to the National Apprenticeship Service in understanding the scope and potential of different sectors to contribute to the meeting of the challenging apprenticeship targets and developing a sector engagement strategy.
To do this Experian were asked to identify those SSC sectors and geographic areas that had the greatest potential for engagement, to document how this process of segmentation was undertaken and to explain why these factors are significant determinants of engagement.
For the first time we will be able to understand the frameworks which are being utilised in employers covered by different SSCs.
Summary report also available
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Apprenticeships: A review of the provider base Published 5 May 2009
This project was completed to meet the following aims:
Develop a core set of intelligence using existing information to enable us to better understand the supply chain;
Understand the 'level' of ambition (in terms of size or turnover) but also 'direction' (in terms of diversifying into new region? New sectors? New LSC funding lines? Extending umber of starts amongst certain age groups?) of current apprenticeship providers.
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Research to identify the benefits of completing an apprenticeshipPublished 27th April 2009
This research was commissioned to understand the impact that completing an apprenticeship has upon the employment outcomes, employability skills and the wider personal and social benefits for individuals.
A total of 3,808 Apprentices were surveyed during November and December of 2008 and January of 2009. Of these, 3,215 were ‘completers’, that is, Apprentices who achieved all the main parts of the Apprenticeship framework – Key Skills certification, the National Vocational Qualification or NVQ, and the Technical Certificate (the qualification appropriate to the occupational area and sector in which the Apprenticeship takes place, which is assessed by a formal written examination). In addition, 593 Apprentices who did not complete all their framework elements (‘early leavers’) were also interviewed.
The total sample (including both completers and early leavers) covered all the English regions, included both Level 2 Apprentices and Level 3 Apprentices, and was comprised of Apprentices whose Apprenticeship came to an end between 2004 and 2008.
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Understanding Choice and the Empowered Learner
Published: 16 March 2009
Research undertaken to gain a greater understanding of choice and the empowered learner. The research cuts across policies for both 14-19 and adult learning, and will be of interest to those involved in the development of advisory and guidance services and marketing campaigns.
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December 2008
The primary aim of the research is to provide an understanding of the constraints and barriers facing the public sector in its use of Apprenticeships and to identify ways to overcome these. The LSC is using the research to inform its strategy to increase the number of apprentices working in the public sector.
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World Class Comparisons Research Report
September 2008
The primary purpose of the research was to support the LSC’s priority of 'transforming the FE system to meet demand' and aimed to inform our priority 3 in 2007/08, to 'raise the performance of a world class system that is responsive, provides choice and is valued and recognised for excellence'. In supporting this priority, the main aim of the project was to establish what has worked well in a number of countries other than England at specific policy levels.
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Migrant Workers in the South East Regional Economy
August 2008
The report is concerned with the impact of economic migration to South East England, with a particular focus on migrants from the central and eastern European Member States of the European Union. It is intended to contribute to improving the evidence base on migration, providing a balanced regional perspective to complement existing local and national migration studies.
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National Learner Satisfaction Survey 2007
The National Learner Satisfaction Survey (NLSS) is the largest survey of post-16 learners ever undertaken in England, covering FE, work-based learning and PCDL. This survey provides a detailed insight into learners' satisfaction with the quality and impacts of the learning and training the LSC funds.
The NLSS is a valuable resource for the LSC, partners and providers - providing feedback from learners on the quality of teaching, responsiveness and support that they experience from their providers.
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National Employers Skills Survey 2007
The National Employers Skills Survey 2007 provides detailed information on the incidence, extent and nature of skills problems facing employers, in terms of both recruitment and skill gaps within their existing workforce. It also explores employers' activities and expenditure in relation to training.
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Skills in England 2007
Volumes 1-4 Published 26 September 2007
Of interest to everyone involved in improving skills and learning opportunities across England.
Skills in England 2007 is presented in four volumes;
Volume 1 presents the key messages and an overview of the research findings contained in the other three volumes.
Volume 2 is the main research report. It contains separate chapters on the demand for and supply of skills, mismatches between demand and supply as well as social exclusion.
Volume 3 provides sectoral evidence
Volume 4 evidence related to regional and local trends
Produced in partnership with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, Sector Skills Development Agency, Department for Business, Entreprise and Regulatory Refor, and the Department for Work and Pensions.
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