Further education key to raising employment says new report

A survey commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) called 'A longitudinal study of out of work Further Education Learners' revealed a 7% rise in employment among learners who had studied at further education colleges with 93% of those questioned saying they had felt a 'lasting benefit' from completing their courses.

The news comes just a month after UCU published a report which showed that over 1200 jobs are at risk at further education colleges across the country and the union today repeated its warnings that any cuts in teaching and provision would have a devastating effect on learners and the economy. In June Tower Hamlets College announced that places for students looking to learn key skills in subjects such as English and maths would be slashed from 2,944 to 1,349 in 2009-10 despite Tower Hamlets having the highest unemployment rates in all of the UK.

Key findings of the study include:

• among the 4,837 learners questioned more than half (53%) are currently engaged in work or learning - up 9% on the previous year
• there has been a 7% rise in the number of learners now in paid employment
• 93% of those questioned saying they had felt a 'lasting benefit' from studying in further education
• 13% of the learners questioned are 'new employees'
• 81% of those employed have permanent positions, with 78% planning to stay in their job for the next 12 months.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'This is just further proof of the vital role further education can play in helping to lift Britain out of the recession as people look to learn new skills and seek employment. Further education colleges work with some of the most vulnerable communities in the country and it is deeply concerning that so many institutions are looking to make cuts. Getting rid of courses and sacking staff will deprive many areas of a vital lifeline.

'Further education colleges have been pioneers at widening participation - something very close to the government's heart - but need funding in order to reach out to students from poorer and non-traditional backgrounds. We cannot afford to be losing staff during these tough economic times when people are looking to retrain. We cannot sustain these current rises without teachers.'