Adult Education

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Skills – in the House of Commons at 10:30 am on 23 November 2006.

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Photo of John Penrose John Penrose Conservative, Weston-Super-Mare 10:30, 23 November 2006

I am sure that we understand what the Secretary of State says about the number of people going into adult education, but does he accept that the mix of people is crucial? Does he also accept that, at places such as Weston-super-Mare FE college, where I am a governor, the number of places for people over 25 on courses above level 2 is being cut? As Helen Jones said, there is a problem with the number of people who are trying to get back into the work force and require non-accredited courses as an interim step. It is crucial that the FE sector responds to the needs of those groups—those returning to work, those who have been made redundant and need to reskill and older workers. At the moment, it is taking a backward step.

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Joyce Glasser
Posted on 25 Nov 2006 3:39 am (Report this annotation)

John Penrose MP is right to raise concerns about the inadequate funding for training and education for older people. Most people over 50 need to be reskilled in order to re enter the job market, whether after redundancy or other factors. It is not only those older people without a university education who are at a disadvantage, it is all older people who are not, by age 45, at Board or chief executive level. These people can afford to step down a rung and still earn a good living.

Those who have been out of school for 20 yeas and whose skills are rusty or out of touch need to learn new skills. People in their 50s who have not worked for more than a year are unattractive to employers. Those who lack updated skills and references are equally disadvantaged.

Adult education providers, such as City Lit in London, are cutting adult classes.

There are no apprenticeships programmes that I am aware of for older people (over 22). The Learning and Skills Council has invested £20 million in Philip Green's (Arcadia Group) and Stuart Rose's ( M & S)Fashion Retail Academy, despite the fact that these successful companies should be able to pay for their own future staff training.

The Fashion Retail Academy provides vocational training and yet, I was informed, no one over 19 is eligible for a scholarship. It appears that the first graduating class were all under 22. They will go on to work in retail management in the top retail stores in the UK.

How can the Retail Fashion Academy's selection procedure comply with the Employment Equality Age Regulations (which cover vocational training)?

Mr Johnson should provide specific examples of what the Government is doing to help adults re-skill in order to re-enter the job market at a level suitable for their background and educational.

The only courses that the government appear to offer to older learners are basic skills in reading and maths. That is not sufficient these days to help a redundant 55-year-old with a mortgage and increasing fuel, water, and food bills to pay.

A programme in Camden in association with Age Concern that provided help in CV writing and job searching for older people, has been terminated. A very helpful 62 year old member of staff is now redundant along with those he was helping. It is such a waste as so many older people need specific help in rewriting their CVs and coveer letter.

Camden ran out of money to fund this nice man offering help to the needy. The Job Centres I know of offer no help for the over 50s. Pathways to Work is frequently mentioned but it is available in very few places in the UK. Local Jb Centres do not know about it and I know of no person over 50 on any pathways to work (or other) programme.

In this month's newsletter, the Age and Employment Network includes the following newsbrief:

"Adult learning programmes and funding: DFES's Grant letter gives the Learning and Skills Council £1.1 billion to spend in 2007-2008; but the LSC's Progress Report and Staement of Priorities represents a regrsssion for adults over age 25. A focus on demographics and age has gone."

If the Government is to reach its target employment rate of 80% of potential workers, it must target older workers and fund the kind of education and skills they need to obtain better jobs.

bryan mcgrath
Posted on 25 Nov 2006 10:27 am (Report this annotation)

you tell 'em Joyce Glasser.

I agree with you, Her Majesty's Government, and in particular Mr Alan Johnson, are governed by the contents of the 'Six O'Clock News'. Over 50's like us rarely make it into the news, therefore command little of the available budget for skills training.

I shall remind Mr. Penrose of the request for a letter from Mr. Johnson, in about 6 months time