However achieving more from those already in the system will not by itself be enough. The Learning and Skills Council will have to raise participation. Our challenge is to increase the number of new learners, rather than 'recycling' those learners already in the system. The post-16 national targets for 2004 should guide us towards securing greater participation from all age groups, including both adults and young people. Our challenge is also to provide 'first rung learning' to encourage people to start learning and to provide a stepping stone to further learning.
Many providers extol the value of 'taster courses' and feedback from individuals is often positive.
The Council will need to understand the extent of take up of these courses and how they prompt individuals to pursue further learning. The Learning and Skills Council will want to ensure the development of people's confidence as learners. This is the route to establishing a learning culture. The current FE funding system is based on a notion of direct progression, of providing pathways to link initial learning experiences to further learning and maybe to qualifications. There are still many people for whom qualification routes are not immediately relevant and where an increased breadth of learning is important.