Careers:TRAINING Available to Purchase

Present education and vocational training for young people must be radically restructured. What the UK needs is a straightforward system everyone understands and benefits from which will help young people make sound choices on education, training and employment. This is one of the main conclusions in a report published by the House of Lords European Communities Committee. It looks in detail at the best practices for youth training in EEC countries and describes the various UK schemes. The Committee believe the UK is lagging behind. There is evidence that the UK's workforce is significantly less well trained than that of France and Germany. Those who are vocationally unqualified are a minority in Germany (one‐third of the workforce) but a majority in the UK (two‐thirds of the workforce). But the need for an efficient workforce is a matter of concern to the whole EEC if it is to compete successfully with Japan and the USA. The EEC, says the Committee, cannot afford to carry member states unwilling to take steps to improve performance. The report sets out a structure for youth training in the UK. The aim of the strategy is to: