Lee Probert of the Learning and Skills Council speaks to ePolitix.com about the organisation's work.

Question: Can you tell me about the remit of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC)?

Lee Probert: Our remit is to commission and fund learning and skills provision, aside from higher education for post-16s, in England.

In order to deliver this, our objectives are to increase the skills of the nation, improve the quality of teaching that’s offered and increase wider economic participation.

Question: Last week the LSC launched a Single Equality Scheme; can you tell me about the scheme?

Lee Probert: The purpose is to look at the LSC and overlay our statutory requirements surrounding equality; in particular looking at the public sector duties around race, disability and gender.

We want to endorse the European regulations for work - on sexual orientation, religion and age - and bring together the legislative requirements within the context of the job we have to do.

As well as recognising that what we deliver across the country is important, we must state the outcomes we want to see for minority groups in this country.

For example we know that, historically, black African boys seemed to underachieve and had poorer retention rates in comparison to Indian groups, and these are the sorts of issues we want to explore in more detail.

In addition to quantitative research we want to work on our qualitative analysis, as we need to get better at understanding results and building on significant research, education and learning.

There have been some interesting findings from research we have undertaken, for example, that further education is based on one set of principles, and for some Muslim young people these principles are a challenge in the context of their faith. 

The research we have undertaken has told us that there are some areas to explore in more detail around decision making, the role of the family and the sort of curriculum pathways that are available. 

These are all areas that we are keen to get right for the wider 14t o 19 reform programme, but in the context of equality, we know there are some specific pieces of work to be done for particular groups.

Question: How long does the scheme run and what do you hope to achieve by running the scheme?

Lee Probert: It runs for three years until the end of April 2010.

Our focus is on working with groups who have a pattern of underachievement or lower participation, and delivering the government’s ambitions to have a better skilled workforce and economic independence.

Part of our challenge is to monitor and improve access for ethnic minority groups. 

Those with disabilities tend to have few or no qualifications this can restrict their opportunity to participate and contribute to the economy.  One of the important parts of the Disability Equality Duty is that we address this.

In doing so, we need to look at the wider government agenda including reducing the number of people on incapacity benefit, increasing the number of people with higher level skills who can gain employment. 

There is an important role there for us to ensure that disabled people are part of that second challenge.

Another benefit of the single scheme is that it focuses not only on gender, race and disability etc. but one that realises there’s an interesting interplay between these characteristics for any one individual, and that each of these is important in the life and learning outcomes for that individual.

Question: Why is equality and diversity in the learning and skill sector such an important issue?

Lee Probert: This is the only way we can deliver our equality and economic objectives. We have been able to engage many of the people who proactively wanted to engage in learning, and you may say therefore that the quick wins have been had. 

We must work hard now on those people who still have both an important contribution to make, but also something to gain personally.

We must engage those with a history of low achievement and low participation, and our Skills Campaign will be a key way we encourage people to want to learn and want to achieve.

This is why the equalities agenda is central to and the only way we’ll deliver what we have to.

Question: What are the consequences for the learning and skills sector if these issues are not taken seriously?

Lee Probert: In terms of legislation there are consequences in law for those who don’t respond. 

The more significant implications are those that affect the economy and the country if we do not achieve a better skilled workforce and are unable to compete in a global economy. 

This will be the most significant impact if we fail to take the agenda seriously.

Question: How important is the support of minister Bill Rammell and other MPs to the scheme’s success?

Lee Probert: We have enjoyed their support and recognise that senior people are responsible for shaping policy areas and for sharing our vision; visions don’t become a reality without them and we are fortunate to have their help.

Question: What is the long-term vision of the scheme?

Lee Probert: To make significant headway on issues surrounding gender equality, ethnic minority participation, disability equality, religion and/or belief, age and sexual orientation. 

And being clear about what the big things are that we want to make different in each of those areas. 

We also want to look at issues of geography and social class in the agenda whilst evolving and maintaining an agenda that is relevant to that of the LSC and the concept of further education and learning for all people.