The Department for Education and Employment have today announced more staffing details for two of the new bodies due to come into operation next year.
Chairman of the Learning and Skills Council Bryan Sanderson has revealed details of the members of the Young People's and Adult Learning Committees, which will be responsible for advising the national Council on achieving the National Learning Targets for Young People and achieving the National Targets for adults and organisations respectively.
John Monks, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress will Chair the Adult Learning Committee in its work, which will include advising on widening participation, raising attainment and improving basic skills amongst adults. The Committee will also advise on workforce development, and how the Learning and Skills Council can work closely
with the Small Business Service to encourage businesses to invest in their workforce through learning and development. Professor David Robertson, Research Centre Director at Liverpool John Moores University, has been appointed to act as a special adviser on lifelong learning to the Committee.
As Chair of the Young People's Learning Committee, Chris Banks, who is currently Managing Director of Coca-Cola Great Britain Ltd will oversee strategies for increasing participation and attainment for young people under 20, and will look at ways of improving young people's employability and contributing to their personal development through learning. The committee will work alongside the new Connexions service.
Speaking about the appointments, Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett said: "I am pleased that those appointed to each of the Learning and Skills Council's Advisory Committees have the skills and experience necessary to ensure that the LSC's broad range of work is fully informed. The Committees will have the capacity and capability to advise on all aspects of young people's and adult learning - learning for employment, for individual fulfilment and to help those who are socially excluded. We should seize this opportunity and work to provide learners, business and consumers of learning with the skills for the future."
All those appointed will be working for the Committees on a part-time basis for between 12 and 15 days a year unpaid, although both Chairs will receive a flat fee of £4,000. For full details of those appointed, see the Central Office of Information website.
The second announcement by Education and Employment Minister Tessa Blackstone unveils details of the appointment of seven board members to the Adult Learning
Inspectorate (ALI). The ALI, which starts its work in April 2001,will bring together the inspection of adult education and work-based training into a single new Inspectorate.
Nick Reilly, Chair of the ALI said:
"I am delighted with the team we have assembled to make up the ALI board. There was a high calibre of applicants and everyone shares the same commitment and enthusiasm to raise the standard of education and learning among adults."
Appointments to the ALI board are also on a part-time basis - details can be found on the DfEE website.
