Supply-side evidence. The volume of learning support provision in HE increased by 9% between 2003/04 and 2004/05. Just over 56% of the programmes identified were foundation degrees, delivered by 13 HEIs. Programmes with a basic skills focus increased by 7.1% between 2003/04 and 2004/05. • In FE, the East Midlands, East of England and Greater London are the three English regions with the lowest proportion of its workforce holding teaching qualifications. The North West has the highest proportion of its workforce holding teaching qualifications. • There was very little provision in FE of programmes for teaching support professionals within an FE setting. • The majority of UK FE provision for ESOL, literacy and numeracy was in England, with enrolments growing by 2.4% between 2003-04 and 2004/05. FE provision included a substantial number of programmes relating to the assessment and verification of Skills for Life provision. • There is currently no specialist qualification for technicians working in HE. Technicians possess a range of qualification backgrounds in specific subject areas. Moreover, there is no standard recruitment or developmental path into highly skilled technical roles. Staff may advance through university technical grades, some are recruited from outside the sector to fulfil specific skills posts, and others may switch from academic into technical support roles. • Within the LAIS constituency, level 2 and 3 City and Guilds programmes in library and information services are offered by a network of 50 centres, mostly FE colleges. Enrolments in FE programmes declined by 32.7% between 2003/04 and 2004/05. FE provision is predominantly at NVQ levels 2 and 3 and is aimed at staff already in post, typically in support roles. • More than one third of English LAIS employers reported that paraprofessional staff undertook further education and training in house. Just under one fifth of English employers indicated that professional staff undertook their CPD activities in house, while one fifth reported that they accessed an external training supplier. • There was little evidence of provision related to other aspects of teaching and learning within the WBL sector. Provision for practitioners of assessment or verification activities is abundant and is primarily delivered through the FE sector with a small volume located within the WBL sector. There is evidence that completion and achievement rates for WBL learners in FE are low. • No provision designed to supply basic skills wit...
Supply-side evidence. The Train to Gain development programme from the QIA sector will help FE colleges and training organisations improve the quality of their work with employers and employees, including delivery of Train to Gain.
