§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many people on the youth training programme attend courses in further education colleges in Northern Ireland;
(2) if any people in Northern Ireland on the youth training programme attend, in whole or part, the same courses as further education students; and what qualifications such trainees obtain.
§ Mr. ScottIn the 1983–84 academic year, 1,995 young people are enrolled on full-time youth training programme courses in further education colleges, and 5,491 young people on YTP schemes organised by other providers, such as Government training centres and work preparation units, attend colleges on a day or block release basis.
In 17 of the 25 further education colleges participating in the youth training programme, a total of 1,317 YTP trainees follow, in whole or in part, the same courses as further education students; they have the opportunity to obtain a wide variety of qualifications including BEC and TEC awards, City and Guilds certificates, RSA typing (stage I and stage II), and GCE "O" and "A" levels. In the remaining eight collges, YTP provision is separate from mainstream further education, and, although many trainees have the opportunity to study for specific qualifications, they do not attend the same classes as further education students.