Higher education, initial vocational education and training and continuing education and training: where should the balance lie?

This paper reviews evidence on two serious imbalances in the UK education and training system: The heavy bias in public spending on initial education and training (for 18–24-year olds) towards higher education at the expense of further education and vocational education and training.The very weak government support for continuing education and training (for adults aged 25-plus) compared to that provided for initial education and training for new entrants to the workforce.The effects of these imbalances are compounded by a marked reluctance by many employers to invest in work-based training, especially long-duration apprenticeship training.In a concluding policy section, the paper discusses ways in which both major imbalances could be reduced by abolishing tuition fees: first, for all Further Education courses up to Level 5 (for example, Foundation degrees, Higher National Diplomas); and second, for work-related, community learning and general-interest courses which do not necessarily lead to formal qualifications.It also considers options for short-duration continuing education and training for adults of all ages to be encouraged without undermining current efforts to reform and improve apprenticeship training