Skills Development in Very Small and Micro Enterprises

Book excerpt: This volume draws together two studies for the Department of Labour, a picture of the dynamism of many such firms emerges. Considerable learning is going on amongst the highly diverse VSME population and the challenge for the state lies in how to support what is already going on: how to spread it and how to avoid over-interference in enterprises whose success has typically been irrespective of, or in spite of external interventions. The Research Programme on Human Resources Development (HRD) at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) aims to inform the development of skills that will meet national, social and economic needs. In addition to producing an HRD Review and an electronically accessible cross-sectoral warehouse, the Research Programme undertakes user-driven research in education and training, focusing on further and higher education and science, technology and education, with a strong emphasis on learning pathways - especially the transition between different levels of education and training, and between education and work.