The government has announced plans for personalised skills assessment is to be made available in prisons and in the community to identify offenders who will benefit from a programme of employment-focused learning and skills training.

The proposals would see selected offenders will receive tailored information, advice and guidance and be offered a range of skills training after completion of their assessment.

Training could include literacy, numeracy, language and key skills, employer-led vocational skills, enterprise and self-employment training, work trials, work experience and voluntary work with skills training.

Two test bed regions, East of England and West Midlands, will take forward the initiative.