This publication presents materials synthesized from a consultative seminar jointly sponsored by Britain's Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the National Training Organisations (NTO) National Council, and the Further Education Development Agency (FEDA) in Britain. The seminar's aims were: to examine the business case for investing in…

A study investigated how a sample of British further education (FE) colleges used the first round of Competitiveness Funding and how it affected the development of collaboration between colleges, Technical Education Councils (TECs), industry, and government agencies. A key ingredient in successful fund bids was matching the project's activity and…

In 1996, small and medium-sized enterprises constituted 99% of all businesses in the United Kingdom in all but the electricity, gas, and water supply sector, providing 46% of nongovernment employment. SMEs' concern with day-to-day demands leaves them with limited time and resources to consider their training needs. Although providing support and…

The incidence and nature of research and development (R&D)-related services provided for employers by English and Welsh colleges were examined. Data were collected through the following activities: (1) an initial survey that was returned by 96 colleges in England and 11 in Wales; (2) telephone interviews with those colleges that were currently…

This handbook, which is intended for individuals involved in program evaluation and improvement at British further education (FE) colleges, contains strategies and materials to help colleges work with industry to make their programs better able to build the skills and knowledge of their local communities. The first two sections offer rationales…

As part of its ongoing efforts to improve further education (FE) in the United Kingdom, the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) developed a model for FE colleges that see their core purpose as meeting the needs of business and industry as distinct form colleges with a mission to serve the needs of the community or prepare young people…

A study explored why differential learner performance exists across work-based learning providers. Attention focused on retention, achievement, and completion as key indicators of work-based learning performance. Findings showed providers should encourage take-up by learners; provide a process to get learners started; provide teaching and learning…

Successful employer engagement requires that colleges in the United Kingdom secure employers' involvement in the design, development, management, and delivery of post-16 learning so that the skill needs of employers and the workforce will be met and the increased productivity, competitiveness, and efficiency of individual organizations and the…

The extent to which providers of post-16 vocational education and training (VET) in the United Kingdom are able to secure timely and relevant learning programs to meet sudden and unpredicted changes in local or national skills profiles was examined in a study that included interviews of nine private training providers and 11 further education (FE)…

The factors responsible for the atypical success experienced by some English further education (FE) colleges were examined through case studies of eight FE colleges that have managed to extend their high-quality vocational education and training (VET) provision in recent years. The 8 colleges were selected from only 56 identified as having…