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National Dossier on Education and Training in Scotland: Summary 2003
5. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
5.1 Organisation
The Scottish system of post-school education is best described under three headings: training, further education and higher education. These headings correspond to different kinds of organisation and a different structure of responsibility. There is, however, considerable overlap between training and further education and between further education and higher education.
5.2 Vocational Training Establishments
There are a range of Government funded national training programmes which are managed and delivered by Scottish Enterprise (SEn) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) through their networks of Local Enterprise Companies (LECs).
Skillseekers
All young people aged 16-17 are entitled, under the Youth Training Guarantee, to Skillseekers training. LECs also have discretion to fund 18-24 year olds. The main elements of Skillseekers are training leading to a recognised qualification up to SVQ Level III (SCQF 6), an individual training plan and employer involvement. The programme has helped increase employer participation in training and 75% of Skillseekers participants are now employed while undertaking their training. Training provision for young people with additional support needs was recently redesigned and the new model 'Get Ready for Work', was introduced in April 2002.
Pre-Modern Apprenticeships
Work is currently underway with the Enterprise Networks and Sector Skills Councils to re-engineer Skillseekers, introducing pre-apprenticeships to link with vocational learning in schools, address core skills and provide better progression routes to Modern Apprenticeships or further education.
Modern Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) were introduced in 1996 and offer 16-24 year olds paid employment combined with the opportunity to train at craft, technician and trainee management level. The training must lead to SVQ Level III or above and include core skills. Following removal of the upper age limit in March 2001, LECs have discretion to fund MAs for people over 25.
Training for Work
Training for Work (TfW) is a work related training programme for those aged 25 and over who have been unemployed for six months or more. The programme aims to help people move into work by improving their work related skills through the provision of appropriate training and structured work activity in line with assessed needs.
Training is delivered by private training providers, voluntary sector organisations, local authorities, further education colleges and employers and includes basic and pre-vocational skills training, occupational skills training and customised training.
5.3 Access Requirements
Access to national training programmes is determined by a number of factors such as age and employment status (see section 5.2 for details regarding the different programmes).
5.4 Financing
The financing of post-school education differs depending on whether it is classed as vocational training, further education or higher education. The major distinction between training and the other two forms of post-school training is that, in the case of training, the funding is used to provide courses, while in the other cases the funding supports the colleges and universities themselves.
Financing for training of 16 to 24-year-olds is the responsibility of the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning. Funding is provided through Scottish Enterprise (SE) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to Local Enterprise Companies (LEC), which are independent of the education system but buy in training from it.
5.5 Curriculum ( see section 6A.4)
5.6 Assessment/Qualifications ( see section 6A.5)
5.7 Guidance ( see Section 7.6)
5.8 Teachers/Trainers ( see section 6A.6)
5.9 Statistics ( see section 6A.7)
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