Publications

The Activity and Learning Agreements Pilots were launched in April 2006 in 12 areas of England. Activity Agreements (AA) are for 16 and 17 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEET), who are offered a weekly allowance in return for committing to a plan and completing agreed activities to re-integrate them back in to learning. Learning Agreements (LA) are for 16-17 year olds in jobs with no accredited training (JWT), to support and encourage them back into learning. This study investigated the theory that ‘In LA pilot areas where there is no financial incentive, it is the support, advice and guidance provided by the Connexions worker that will be enough to ‘kick-start’ the young person’s interest in learning and induce them to sign up to a learning agreement.’

Care to Learn is a UK government initiative that provides financial support for teenage parents who want to continue in, or return to learning. It helps with the cost of their childcare and travel. As part of the national evaluation of Care to Learn, a self-completion postal survey was conducted of young parents who received Care to Learn funding during the 2003/04 academic year. The survey was conducted during the winter of 2006.

This publication was authored by Rachel Marangozov (née Pillai) before she joined IES.

In partnership with the Centre for Social and Economic Inclusion, IES evaluated Skills Coaching, a careers and coaching service for out of work adults. The evaluation involved: case-studies in nine of the areas running Skills Coaching trials; a review of literature on employability and employment and skills policy; an analysis of the pilots’ management information; and an assessment of the cost of delivering the service.

UK managers have been accused of being under-skilled and underperforming, paralysing organisations through their incompetence. This opinion paper argues that if there is a problem with managers, it might be sensible for organisations to look long and hard at themselves first.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families commissioned this report to support the implementation of the recommendations made within the earlier research, 'Young Apprenticeships: Equal Opportunities'. This report: illustrates how to produce careers and training information to promote Young Apprenticeships (YA) to atypical entrants in three strongly gender-segregated sectors; demonstrates how to encourage wider choices and provide practical information, advice and guidance (IAG) through the provision of taster sessions during YA recruitment; and identifies examples of good equalities practice within YA delivery through progress-update visits to the five original case study areas.

In order to inform its training and qualification policies and strategy for the industry, the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) commissioned IES to gain an understanding of the training culture that exists within the electrical installation sector. A postal survey was used to gain up-to-date information regarding training practice and attitudes towards training. The report draws conclusions regarding the survey and makes recommendations to the ECA. This publication is no longer available.

In many organisations, development is based on identifying where people could do better, their 'gaps' and areas of poor performance, and trying to fix these. Much less time is spent on what people already do well and what energises them, and using these as a basis for developing high performance. This opinion paper explains how switching the focus to what works and what people's strengths are, leads to much higher energy levels and ultimately to better performance.

The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (NHS Institute) commissioned IES to review and summarise existing research findings regarding the role of HR/OD in workforce development and to put forward suggestions for the further development of roles and activities of HR and OD practitioners in the NHS. This report is the outcome of that work.

IES Annual Review 2007