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Learning grant boosts North East's skill set

A £35m national investment that will make a significant contribution to improving the skills of the North East’s workforce has been announced this week. The roll out of the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC) Adult Learning Grant (ALG) follows a successful pilot programme which included Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Tees Valley, where over 1,200 people received the award in 2006/07.

ALG is a weekly grant designed to help adults studying full-time with the costs of learning. The grant pays up to £30 per week for full time learners aged 19 and over who are studying for their first full level two or level three, which is equivalent to 5 GCSEs or 2 A levels. Developed as part of a new Government initiative to improve the levels of both vocational and academic skills in the UK, ALG is intended to be a helping hand for adults who want to gain more skills, but have certain financial worries.

Chris Roberts, Regional Director of LSC North East, said: “We have found that many people feel held back in their careers by a lack of skills, but often financial problems stopped them from learning these skills. In our pilot areas, Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Tees Valley, ALG has already started to help people cross this barrier with 1,264 people already receiving the grant. It has also been heartening to see that people who have been involved in the pilots have applied for courses that teach job-related skills that will help them progress in their careers.”

To find out about eligibility, potential ALG candidates should visit Student Services at their local college, call 0800 100 900 or visit the website www.direct.gov.uk/alg.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .