ABSTRACT
The 1970s and 1980s have seen a steady decline in the fortunes of the British economy which has led to considerable change in the country’s educational needs and priorities. The closure of long-standing heavy industries and the weakening of the manufacturing base has meant that the security of limitless unskilled and semi-skilled employment is no longer an option. Education and training have become a prerequisite for employment and those without education and training face an uncertain future.
