This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Cash incentive to learn computing skills
01/08/2005
Every adult in Scotland will be offered up to £100 to improve their computer skills.
The initiative is part of the Executive's Individual Learning Account (ILA) Scotland scheme which offers low income learners up to £200 a year to pay for courses to help them get back into work.
This has today been extended to provide funding of up to £100 a year for basic skills Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training to everyone in Scotland over 18, regardless of income.
Deputy Minister for Lifelong Learning Allan Wilson said:
"The roll-out of ILA Scotland is good news for adult learners in Scotland, all of whom can use ILA Scotland funds to pay for courses that will help develop their skills, interests and opportunities.
"ILA Scotland has already opened up opportunities for thousands of people on lower incomes who previously would have faced financial barriers to learning. However, the Executive recognises the benefits of learning for everyone, regardless of their age or social background.
"We want to ensure that help is available for people to undertake the type of learning best suited to them. So, from today, the practical support of ILA Scotland is extended to all adults in Scotland.
"We have chosen ICT training for the universal offer because learner research showed us that even where people might consider themselves to have basic ICT skills, relatively few have any formal qualifications as proof of their expertise.
"We also know that there is demand from employers for formal accreditation of ICT skills, so we are focusing ILA funding where it can have the biggest practical impact.
"Scotland's economy is growing and it is our top priority to ensure this growth continues. We have to ensure that individuals are equipped to meet the ever-changing skills needs of the modern economy. ILA Scotland help lead to a more skilled workforce by helping assisting people to develop their existing skills as well as learning new ones."
The roll-out of ILA Scotland has been welcomed by a range of organisations, including the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC).
STUC Deputy General Secretary Grahame Smith said:
"This will bring much needed funding for learning opportunities to many individual trade union members in Scotland. It will also strengthen the role that many trade unions and union learning representatives have in the promotion and support for learning in workplaces throughout Scotland."
The new Individual Learning Account (ILA) Scotland scheme was announced by the then Minister for Lifelong Learning Jim Wallace on December 13 2004. £19.3 million has been allocated for the ILA scheme for each of the financial years 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08.
ILA Scotland provides the learner with up to £200 per learner year. How the learner uses these funds is up to them; they might want to use it for one single course or for several smaller courses throughout the year. A learner year runs for 12 months from when an individuals learning account is set up. Since the targeted ILA Scotland scheme was launched last December, over 9,000 learners have signed up to the programme.
All the learner has to do to access these funds is to call free on 0808 100 1090 to request an ILA Scotland application pack, choose the learning they want to do and then pay to their chosen learning provider a minimum personal contribution of £10 pounds towards each piece of learning they undertake. Their ILA Scotland funds will be paid direct to their chosen learning provider.
Learners earning more than £15,000 per year can choose from a range of basic skills ICT courses. The £100 may be put towards the cost of a single computer course or can be used to help pay for several smaller courses throughout the year.
All ILA Scotland-registered learning providers must satisfy rigorous quality standards, which should ensure that all learners have a positive and productive learning experience.