The Contribution of FE and Skills to Social Mobility
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BIS RESEARCH PAPER NUMBER 254 The Contribution of Further Education and Skills to Social Mobility OCTOBER 2015 1 The Contribution of FE and Skills to Social Mobility The contribution of Further Education and skills to social mobility Rosie Gloster, Jonathan Buzzeo, Rosa Marvell, Arianna Tassinari, Joy Williams, Matthew Williams, Sam Swift and Becci Newton Prepared by: INSTITUTE FOR EMPLOYMENT STUDIES City Gate 185 Dyke Road Brighton BN3 1TL UK Tel: + 44 (0) 1273 763400 Fax: + 44 (0) 1273 763401 www.employment-studies.co.uk The views expressed in this report are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 1 Victoria Street London SW1H 0ET www.gov.uk/bis Research paper number 254 October 2015 2 The Contribution of FE and Skills to Social Mobility Acknowledgements The research was commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The research was undertaken by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES). Karen Patient at IES provided administrative support to the project. The authors would like to thank James Davison and Vikki McAuley for providing us with assistance and support throughout the project. The Institute for Employment Studies The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) is an independent, apolitical, international centre of research and consultancy in public employment policy and organisational human resource issues. It works closely with employers in the manufacturing, service and public sectors, government departments, agencies, and professional and employee bodies. For over 40 years the Institute has been a focus of knowledge and practical experience in employment and training policy, the operation of labour markets, and human resource planning and development. IES is a not-for-profit organisation which has over 30 multidisciplinary staff and a network of international associates. IES expertise is available to all organisations through research, consultancy, publications and the Internet. For further details please visit: www.employment-studies.co.uk 3 The Contribution of FE and Skills to Social Mobility Contents Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 11 1 Social mobility and FE participation in England ............................................................... 19 1.1 Key findings .................................................................................................................... 19 1.2 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 20 1.3 Social mobility trends and drivers ................................................................................... 22 1.4 Intragenerational mobility ................................................................................................ 22 1.5 Intergenerational mobility ................................................................................................ 24 1.6 Profile of FE learners ...................................................................................................... 38 2 The contribution of FE and skills to entry to work, in-work progression and earnings . 44 2.1 Key findings .................................................................................................................... 44 2.2 Entry to work ................................................................................................................... 45 2.3 In-work progression ........................................................................................................ 56 2.4 Earnings ......................................................................................................................... 60 3 The contribution of FE and skills to learning participation and progression ................. 71 3.1 Key findings .................................................................................................................... 71 3.2 On-going participation in learning.................................................................................... 71 3.3 Progression in learning ................................................................................................... 72 4 The contribution of FE and skills to learners’ children .................................................... 82 4.1 Key findings .................................................................................................................... 82 4.2 Early years ...................................................................................................................... 82 4 The Contribution of FE and Skills to Social Mobility 5 The wider benefits of FE and skills .................................................................................... 86 5.1 Key findings .................................................................................................................... 86 5.2 Wider societal benefits .................................................................................................... 86 5.3 Wider benefits to individuals ........................................................................................... 92 6 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 97 6.1 The contribution of English and maths to social mobility ................................................. 98 6.2 Implications ................................................................................................................... 100 Bibliography .............................................................................................................................. 103 Annex ......................................................................................................................................... 109 5 The Contribution of FE and Skills to Social Mobility Figures and Tables Figure 1: Extent of evidence of the contribution of FE and skills to national social mobility indicators ........................................................................................................................... 17 Figure 2: The contribution that Further Education and skills make to social mobility, poverty and returns to the Exchequer ............................................................................................. 18 Figure 3: Adult learning episodes by type .......................................................................... 26 Figure 4: Number of episodes of adult learning per individual, 1998 – 2012 ..................... 28 Figure 5: Number of episodes of adult learning per individual for individuals with at least one learning spell, 1998 – 2012 ......................................................................................... 29 Figure 6: Average age of adult learners at first learning episode, by learning type, compared to non-adult learners ......................................................................................... 30 Figure 7: Gender distribution of adult learners, by learning type compared to non-adult learners .............................................................................................................................. 31 Figure 8: Distribution of adult learning episodes by type and prior highest qualification held ........................................................................................................................................... 32 Figure 9: Average time spend off active benefits according to learner age and level of learning, in weeks .............................................................................................................. 46 Figure 10: Positive sustained employment destinations are more likely for learners completing higher level qualifications ................................................................................ 47 Figure 11: Proportion of apprentices in (full- or part-time) paid employment ..................... 52 Figure 12: Proportions of learners not in employment prior to learning in full- or part-time paid employment, self-employment or voluntary or unpaid work ....................................... 54 Figure 13: Proportions of learners reporting work-related benefits associated with learning ........................................................................................................................................... 59 Figure 14: Sustained and non-sustained learning rates from different types of adult FE provision ............................................................................................................................ 73 Figure 15: Proportions of learners reporting increased, similar or decreased levels of confidence in helping their children with different school subjects ..................................... 83 Figure 16: Change in weekly equivalised household income according to actual income and skills targets ................................................................................................................ 87 Figure 17: Per learner per year return to public budgets according to age and level of learning .............................................................................................................................. 89 Figure 18: Self-reported changes in skills as result of engaging in English or maths provision ...........................................................................................................................