MOST young people are dropping out of on-the-job training courses, which are often badly run and of poor quality, an official report has warned.England has a long way to go before it gets a vocational education and training system to rival that of Germany, according to the Adult Learning Inspectorate.

MOST young people are dropping out of on-the-job training courses, which are often badly run and of poor quality, an official report has warned.

England has a long way to go before it gets a vocational education and training system to rival that of Germany, according to the Adult Learning Inspectorate.

Courses across Suffolk are facing the same problem, with a survey of almost 800 16-24 year-olds in training and education across Suffolk, revealing that over a quarter (27pc) of all who start learning or training don't complete the course.

The Labour Market Survey of Young People in Suffolk found the most common reasons for drop-outs were that they 'got bored' (15pc) didn't like the subject (16pc), lack of teacher support (11pc) decided to get a job (12pc) and health problems (8pc).

A 'large number- often up to one half –' felt they had not achieved the outcome expected, and the Suffolk report added the research suggested: "A considerable number of students are either choosing or starting the wrong courses. Easily accessible information and advice could help to ensure that in future students are able to make suitable informed choices."

Rob Wye, interim director of policy and development for the Ipswich-based Suffolk Learning and Skills Council, today pledged to raise skill standards in Suffolk.

He said: "The LSC is committed to building relationships with employers and we are addressing that through our Workforce Development Strategy, which will be published this October.

"It may not be immediately obvious to employers that the LSC is behind services because a lot of the work we do with employers is delivered through the Small Business Service, colleges and other providers.

"We are determined to raise the level of basic skills in the UK and are on target to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of 750,000 adults by 2004. We are also raising the skills of the adult workforce at higher levels."

The national organisation found that 69 per cent of foundation and 64pc of advanced modern apprentices dropped out before completing their courses.

Only 24 training providers out of hundreds inspected during the year, were judged as excellent, and around 64pc of training providers failed to carry out the proper quality checks on what they offered students.

In his 2001-02 annual report, ALI chief inspector David Sherlock said: "We have a long way to go towards replicating the strong and widespread commitment to training which, for example, is the foundation of Germany's widely-praised system.

"The average performance is inadequate."

Mr Sherlock said the government was now putting "substantial' amounts of money into training and added: "The problems we've identified are being fixed. What I am confident of, is that the fundamentals which had slipped over the last few years have now been addressed."

But he warned that the problems would not disappear overnight.

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