Contents

4 Commentary

6 The information

8 What’s the point of adult apprenticeships? There’s no reason to think older workers wouldn’t benefit from apprenticeships that helped them learn new skills and progress in their careers. But converting existing workers into apprentices to increase the numbers with qualifications is unlikely to help them fulfil their aspirations, say Alison Fuller and Lorna Unwin

14 An economic necessity and a vital social and cultural good The power of adult learning is recognised by politicians of all parties. But, as the government’s ill-conceived plans to introduce FE loans demonstrate, we are still some way from getting the balance right between individual, state and employer funding, argues Gordon Marsden

18 University isn’t just for young people For those who really care about social mobility, it is the decline in applications by mature students, and not the appointment of Les Ebdon as Director of OFFA, that should be setting alarm bells ringing, says Pam Tatlow

This Adults Learning reflects on some of the central planks of the government’s education reform programme – including apprenticeships, further education loans and university access. Alison Fuller and Lorna Unwin consider the potential and limitations of adult apprenticeships, and ask whether the current approach to apprenticeships is likely help adults access the learning they need. And Labour shadow minister Gordon Marsden examines the government’s plan to introduce further education loans for adults, calling for a rethink of the balance between individual, state and employer funding of education. Elsewhere, Pam Tatlow looks at the drop in mature applications to higher education, while John Field uses criticism of the government’s work experience scheme as a platform for a wider discussion of the value of work experience – and the needs of older unemployed people. We also look in depth at the emergence of the free university movement and the remarkable expansion of reading groups, led by the Get into Reading scheme.

Paul Stanistreet – Editor paul.stanistreet@niace.org.uk

2 ADULTS LEARNING SPRING 2012