Entry to Employment providers secure 200m to help avert training shortfall
Lauren Higgs
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Providers of Entry to Employment (E2E) training for disadvantaged young people have received more than 200m in government funding to continue courses.
Miscalculations at the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) caused afunding shortage earlier this year. The shortfall coincided with a risein demand for courses due to the recession, so providers were forced toturn young people away.
But Children's Secretary Ed Balls has now promised funding for everyyoung person who wants to do E2E, after the Association of LearningProviders (ALP) lobbied him about the crisis. The organisation toldBalls that young people must not be denied their statutory right totraining.
Balls responded by asking the LSC to write to providers withreassurances that all E2E courses will be funded.
Around 200m will now pay for courses for the remainder of thisacademic year. In the next academic year, the government will dedicatemore than 400m to the programme.
Graham Hoyle, chief executive of the ALP, said that the decision was asuccess for young people who need a second chance in life.
He said: "This is welcome news for those disadvantaged young people whowant to take a meaningful step away from a life of poverty and misery,and we are grateful to Balls for responding so quickly to ourrepresentations."
