Facts and figures

The last few years have seen performance across the learning and skills sector improve significantly - proving the ability of the sector and the professionals working within it beyond any doubt.

• We currently have the highest ever success rates in Further Education
• Employers are reporting a sharp fall in skills shortages
• Record numbers of young people are in learning
• More adults than ever before are achieving Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications
• Targets have been exceeded for improving basic skills and the recruitment of Apprenticeships

But we’re not complacent. The stakes are getting higher. There is much more to be done.

The 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review sets out a series of Public Service Agreement targets – more challenging than ever before – to which the LSC will directly contribute to and lead:

Young people

• Increase the proportion of young people achieving Level 2 at age 19 from 71.4 per cent in 2006 to 82 per cent by 2011
• Increase the proportion of young people achieving Level 3 at age 19 from 46.8 per cent (in 2006) to 54 per cent by 2011
• Reduce the percentage of 16 to 18 year olds classified as NEET by 2 percentage points by 2010, from a baseline of 10 per cent at the end of 2004
• Aspire to increase participation in education and training among 17 year olds to a rate of 86 per cent by 2011

Adults

We will continue to work towards meeting the target to improve the basic skills of 2.25 million adults. The specific delivery targets for 2020 are as follows:

• 95 per cent of adults should have basic functional literacy and numeracy skills
• More than 90 per cent of adults should be qualified to at least Level 2, with a commitment to achieve a rate of 95 per cent as soon as possible
• 68 per cent of the adult population should be qualified to Level 3
• Over 40 per cent of the adult population should be qualified to Level 4 or above