Evaluation of Individual Learning Accounts - Early Views of Customers and Providers. Research Report RR294

Individual Learning Accounts were a crucial part of the Government’s lifelong learning agenda, along with other initiatives such as University for Industry/LearnDirect and UKOnline/ICT Learning Centres. The key objective for Individual Learning Accounts was to provide a vehicle for funding continuous learning. The national Individual Learning Account framework was introduced in September 2000, and was to include: • universal availability but with specific marketing to key target groups • funding support to encourage individual take-up of learning • encouragement to employers to contribute to Individual Learning Accounts. As part of the first year of the national Individual Learning Account scheme, the home countries required an early evaluation of: • the characteristics of Individual Learning Account redeemers and nonredeemers • process • customer satisfaction The findings were to be used to provide initial information on early Individual Learning Account holders and also evidence to inform any recommendations for improving the process. It was also used to provide an input into DfES’s monitoring of its contract with Capita, who were under contract to run the Individual Learning Account Centre

Early evaluation of centres of expertise Final report

URN 00/1424Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:m01/11706 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Doing the business A guide for local authorities on engaging the business community

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:m00/40805 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Calderdale inheritance An assessment

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:GPC/03592 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Ten Years of New Labour: Workplace Learning, Social Partnership and Union Revitalization in Britain

The establishment of a role in workplace learning has been perceived as one of the achievements of trade unions under New Labour. This article analyses the part the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has played in public policy since 1997. It examines its attempts to influence government and develop social partnership and statutory backing for vocational training. It assesses its degree of success and considers whether the TUC's role is best characterized in terms of social partnership or as a rediscovery of the unions' public administration function. It reviews the literature which suggests that involvement in learning stimulates union revitalization. The article concludes that the TUC has failed to attain significant influence over public policy. Rather it has delivered policy determined by government with priority accorded to employer predilections. A public administration role focused on the Union Learning Fund has provided the TUC with a new, secondary function, which provides some compensation for the failure of its primary agenda. Nonetheless, on the evidence, involvement in workplace learning appears an implausible path to union revitalization. Copyright (c) Blackwell Publishing Ltd/London School of Economics 2008.