European Social Fund Objective 1 & 3 - Sector Led Basic Skills Project

Basic Skills in and for the Workplace - Skills Work

Aim of the project:

“to increase the capacity of the employment sector to address the shortfall in basic skills amongst:-

1. Employed people within the workplace
2. Unemployed people needing to enter the labour market”

Basic Skills Sector Consortia including representatives from 6 Sector Skills Councils – Care, Cleaning, Construction & Built Environment, Land Based, Manufacturing, Engineering; and five partner stakeholders:-

• Sector Skills Development Agency Wales
• TUC
• Careers Wales
• UFI Cymru/Learn Direct
• Job Centre Plus

What are basic skills?

“the ability to read, write and speak in English or Welsh, and use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general”

Implications for employment

Adults with basic skills problems are:-

• More likely to end up in low paid, low grade work;
• Twice as likely to have been made redundant or sacked from their first job;
• Up to five times more likely to be unemployed or out of the labour market;
• Four times more likely to experience long term unemployment.

Those trained within the project gain:

• The option to complete the full City & Guilds Level 2 9297 accreditation;
• To signpost adult learners to appropriate basic skills provision;
• Help with informal assessment and/or screening for basic skills needs;
• Support a basic skills learner while under the direct guidance and presence of a qualified basic skills teacher;
• To be part of an all Wales network of basic skills supporters.

For further information about the project, or, for advice, guidance and support please contact:-

Rhian Mathias
Senior Development Support Officer
Tel: 0207 4407777
Email: rhian.mathias@niace.org.uk