The Training Foundation is launching a national online learning initiative to prepare young people for the world of work.

The Ready for Work online training programme is free to all young people in (or recently in) full-time education and those in modern apprenticeships.

Its aim is to help new workers become responsible employees through 12 online courses focused on building awareness of employment issues. Subjects include: showing respect at work, embracing diversity, being enterprising, managing workplace stress, health & safety, following drugs & alcohol policies, sensible email and Internet use, data protection and being a responsible employee.

The move has also been welcomed by bodies such as Heads, Teachers and Industry, Learndirect, the Confederation of Business and Industry (CBI) and British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

It has also won the support of Sir Richard Branson, who said that such co-operation between employers and educators could "do nothing but good".

"We need our young people to be equipped with an appreciation of business, so that they can set out in a spirit of enterprise," Branson said.

John Brown, Development Director at learndirect said that the initiative was timely considering the current debate about respect.

"Skills and training have a key role to play in breaking down divisions between the younger and the older generation, and between the employed and the unemployed," he added.

The course can be accessed at www.readyforwork.org. Each self-study course ends with a short test to check the learner's understanding and those who achieve an 80% or better grade on the programme qualify for an optional Ready for Work Certificate and Ready for Work Handbook (at an administration fee of £10).