ABSTRACT

Vocational training is often the poor relation of academic education. The needs of urban dwellers take precedence over those of people living in sparse rural areas, particularly where it is more expensive to give courses for the latter. Educational organisations find it more financially secure to focus on the needs of students for real government grants are available than on students to pay fees. The South West Region of the Open University recognised these difficulties and has sought to develop an innovative, flexible project for tackling some of the problems and prejudices outlined above. The starting point of the scheme was recognition by the Open University that it had a many free-standing 'study packs' on sale or for use by other education providers. If the scheme is successful in developing provide quality open learning in support of vocational training and economic regeneration then vocational training providers the scheme or develop further flexible approaches to vocational training.