The Learning and Skills Council has published findings from a large scale survey of learners which examined the impact of learning on employability. 10,000 learners aged 20-55 who had undertaken a range of learning programmes in Further Education took part in the survey, the findings of which are grouped into a number of different sections including:
•The impact of learning on employment and benefit outcomes
•Employability, skills, social and personal outcomes
•Further learning outcomes
•Entering learning
•Learners' situation before the course
Overall, the survey found that, whilst only 10 per cent of all learners in the survey had been in work prior to the start of their course, 38 per cent had gone on to work at some point after finishing their course.
Of the respondents that had had a paid job after completing the course (3,910 learners), 44 per cent felt that their job outcome was the result of having undertaken the course. Other sources of support in helping learners into work included friends and family, Jobcentre Plus and community and voluntary organisations.
Learning was found to have had a positive impact on respondents' perceptions of their employability. More than half of those surveyed indicated that their communication skills (66 per cent), job-related skills (64 per cent), team-working skills (60 per cent) and problem solving skills (57 per cent) had improved as a direct result of the course; and 56 per cent of respondents felt nearer to getting a job as a result of the course. On a personal level, 86 per cent of respondents claimed that they felt better about themselves because of the course, with 84 per cent agreeing that the course had given them a sense of greater opportunities.
The report concludes that "the findings show statistically significant positive effects from learning for welfare benefit recipients, in terms of both moving into work and of improving employability".
Key findings are available here
http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/Impact_of_Learning_on_Employability_-_key_findings.pdf
