New measures for FE colleges risk leaving older people out of the classroom

Todayís White Paper on further education colleges, Raising Skill, Improving Life Chances, contains a range of policy measures that are in principle welcomed by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). But as CIPD Skills Adviser, Victoria Winkler comments, some measures are too narrowly aimed at young people.

Winkler comments, ìWe welcome the renewed focus on Level 3 qualifications, but are disappointed that the entitlement to free training at this level is narrowly limited to the 19-25 age group. This is completely at odds with our urgent need as a country to do all we can to encourage older workers to stay on in the workplace. We know from related research that older workers participate less in training than the average worker ñ so greater efforts must be made to get older workers to enroll on to college courses. This should include targeted training provisions and, where appropriate, specific courses for older workers at further education colleges.î

Winkler continues,î Targeting and engaging with those employers that are not already involved in publicly funded training will also remain a key challenge for FE institutions. In order to maximise success their offerings will need to be both responsive to employer needs and flexible in approach.î