§ Mr. Baldryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what it is anticipated that the youth training scheme can offer to school leavers who have already received vocational preparation at school under the technical and vocational initiative.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe youth training scheme offers a year's integrated work experience and training for all 16-year-old school leavers, 17-year-old school leavers who remain unemployed, and disabled leavers up to age 21. The technical and vocational educational initiative pilot projects, the first of which began in September last year, provide four-year-courses starting at age 14 and most students who participate will not, therefore, be eligible for the youth training scheme.
The previous work experience or vocational education of any students who do not complete their courses and subsequently join the youth training scheme will be taken into account when assessing their training needs.