ABSTRACT
The media would have us believe that the topic of learning and skills and of vocational education and training is not ‘sexy’, so they ignore it. Yet our national performance in these areas will influence how prosperous and how fair the UK will be in the future. The official story runs as follows: we are currently the fifth biggest economy in the world, having already been overtaken by China; and within the space of a few years we are going to be overtaken by India as well. How well placed are we to meet this challenge, particularly if these countries pay low wages for the production of high-quality goods and services? On the debit side, we have a history of under-investment in training and a long tale of under-achievement at school. On the plus side, since 1997, the Labour government has devoted more time, energy and resources to the learning and skills sector (LSS) than has any previous administration. So, can the LSS significantly improve the performance of those learners who have been failed by the education system? Will all the young people and adults who study hard to gain vocational qualifications be rewarded with well-paid jobs with training? Can tutors improve the quality of their teaching to ensure that many more people participate, gain qualifications and obtain decent jobs? What new ideas do we need to create an inclusive, equitable and efficient learning system in this country?
