Evaluation of Individual Learning Accounts: Final Report
3 Main findings
3.1 Throughout this report we have specified which group, or groups, the findings relate to. The two key groups surveyed for the purposes of this report were:
- redeemers i.e. people who had opened and used their Individual Learning Account;
- non-redeemers i.e. people who had opened, but not used, their Individual Learning Account.
Non-redeemers
3.2 When the 101 account holders who had not yet redeemed their ILA were contacted they gave the following reasons for non-use of their ILA. (Figure 3.1)
3.3 As can be seen from Figure 3.1, over one-half of the non-redeemers cited personal reasons, such as lack of time and family commitments, with almost one-quarter (24%) mentioning course-related reasons. Presumably, a significant proportion of these course-related reasons are a direct result of ILAs being withdrawn. However, there are other issues which the Scottish Executive may be interested in such as a lack of suitable courses and the need for more advice. However, the numbers concerned are so small that it is not possible to draw statistically significant findings from these responses.
Key characteristics of redeemers
3.4 In the following paragraphs we outline the key characteristics of redeemers. These characteristics are described in terms of:
- gender;
- age;
- social grade;
- main current activity.
Gender
3.5 Figure 3.2 demonstrates that there were slightly more women amongst the sample contacted (56%) than men (44%). These proportions are more evenly balanced than those which have emerged from ILA surveys in other UK countries. These proportions are similar to those which emerged from the Spring 2001 ILA survey in Scotland. However, women formed a slightly higher proportion of the non-redeemers contacted (63%).
Age
3.6 As was the case in the Spring 2001 ILA survey in Scotland, more than one-half of redeemers were in the 31-50 age group (52%) with slightly less than one quarter (23%) being in the 21-30 age group. Similar proportions were present in the non-redeemer sample (see Figure 3.2)
Social grade
3.7 The social grade characteristics of redeemers are shown in Figure 3.3 and reflect the picture that emerged in the Spring 2001 ILA survey in Scotland. Class C1 (36%) formed the single most significant category. This was also the case amongst non-redeemers.
Main current activity
3.8 The majority of redeemers were in full-time or part-time employment, with smaller proportions being self-employed, in education/training or unemployed.
3.9 This finding is akin to that which emerged from the Spring 2001 ILA survey in Scotland. However, the proportion of those in employment had increased marginally from 73% to 77%. ILAs continued to attract a significant proportion of retired people, rising from 8% in Spring 2001 to 10% in the current survey.
3.10 A slightly lower proportion of non-redeemers (60%) were in employment, with higher percentages being unemployed (13%), caring for their family (9%) or sick/disabled (7%). Their higher representation amongst those who had not used their ILA may indicate that they faced greater obstacles to their involvement than those who were economically active.
Previous learning experiences
3.11 Account holders were asked a series of questions about their previous learning experiences to date and in the past 12 months. These are demonstrated in Figures 3.5 and 3.6 respectively.
3.12 As was the case in the previous Scotland survey, over one-half (55%) of redeemers had participated in a Further Education college course with 30% having followed a University/degree level course. Almost two-thirds (62%) had participated in work-related training either provided by their employer or funded from their own resources.
3.13 Some noticeable differences emerged from redeemers' responses. For instance, 51% of male redeemers had participated in work-related training provided by their employer compared with 39% of female redeemers. Conversely, a higher proportion of women (49%) had taken an evening course than men (38%).
3.14 Figure 3.6 indicates that a higher proportion of redeemers said that they had not undertaken any form of learning in that period (34%) than was the case in the Spring 2001 ILA survey in Scotland (22%). This figure rose to 67% amongst non-redeemers (up from 45% in the Spring 2001 survey).
3.15 The most commonly mentioned forms of learning were work-related training (16%) and Further Education college courses (15%). This reflects the picture that emerged in the Spring 2001 ILA survey in Scotland except that the number of those who had participated in distance learning had decreased from 22% to 12%.
Qualifications held
3.16 The majority of redeemers and non-redeemers possessed some form of qualification, with 15% of redeemers and 32% of non-redeemers having no qualifications at all. The figure for redeemers is similar to that which emerged from the Labour Force Survey 2000, which found that 16.5% of the UK working age population had no qualifications.
3.17 Figure 3.7 shows the highest qualification level held by account holders, and indicates that two-fifths held a qualification that was equivalent to an SVQ level 4 or above. However, there had been a slight increase since the Spring 2001 ILA survey in Scotland in redeemers with an SVQ Level 1 qualification (up from 5% to 12%).
3.18 We have gathered account holders' responses together into SVQ levels (or equivalent) but these are approximations as, in a number of cases, it was difficult to identify the exact level from the data provided.
3.19 As Individual Learning Accounts were open to everyone over 18 years of age in Scotland, they were bound to attract a wide range of people but did appear to be attracting a higher proportion of qualified individuals, many of whom had previously participated in some form of Higher Education.