1.4 We need to understand better the obstacles people face. Among those most commonly cited are time, cost, fear, inadequate information, complexity, and inconvenience. For smaller businesses in particular, the costs and complexity of providing learning for their employees can be daunting. Individual learners are also deterred by a sense that learning is 'not for them', and yet the benefits of learning are significant.

1.5 One of our biggest challenges is to get all those who provide learning to make it easier for people to learn. This can be done by:

• encouraging people to have higher expectations of themselves and of others;

• providing learning at a time and a place to suit the individual or firm (eg seven days a week all year round, as the Open University does);

• ensuring that all learning has high standards of teaching and training;

• providing information and advice to people to clear a way through the jungle of jargon and initials;

• making learning welcoming;

• giving people the support they need in order to learn; for instance by helping with the cost of childcare, or the cost of learning, or with access for someone who has a disability;

• providing qualifications for adults that are easily understood, meet employers' and individuals' needs, encourage learning, and are flexible so that individuals can obtain qualifications in stages;

• recognising that, over time, institutions and ways of doing things will need to change in response to the needs of learners.