Curriculum and qualifications 18 Recent Prison Service initiatives will be built upon so that, over time and as resources permit, prison education and training is delivered coherently to raise standards of achievement amongst the least well qualified and to promote progression to higher skills at all levels. The primary aim must be to ensure that more prisoners are equipped with the relevant skills and qualifications for work – but learning which promotes the individual’s personal development will remain an important part of the curriculum. We will integrate the delivery of education and training provision with that of libraries, vocational training and industry workshops, and physical education to provide new opportunities to extend the scope and motivation for prisoners to gain a wide range of relevant skills. We will build on existing links with the voluntary sector and with business and industry to provide further opportunities to enhance learning and skills programmes and access to work. Case Study Prison Service and Employment Service – training women for work at Low Newton Low Newton womens' prison is situated near Durham, an area of high unemployment. The majority of the prisoners have poor levels of skills and qualifications and many of them have never worked. A growing area of employment in the region is the development of call centres. The prison education department works closely with the local Employment Service and aims to train women for employment when they leave the prison. A tutor with extensive experience of managing call centres has successfully run a course, accredited by City and Guilds, leading to an NVQ in Call Centre Operations. A number of women prisoners have attained qualifications and obtained work in local call centres after release.

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