A FORMER student, who has now taken up a job at the Worcestershire college where she studied, has praised a government scheme which pays young people to stay on in education.

Recent evidence shows Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA) have succeeded in increasing the number of young people staying on in the classroom at 16 and the number of learners achieving qualifications at 19.

Figures from 2005/06 saw the highest proportion of 16 year-olds in learning since 1994, with 89.1 per cent participating in some form of learning. This equates to 1.5 million young people in further education, which is the highest figure ever recorded.

Jen Gardiner, of Sedge-berrow, near Evesham, was one of those young people to benefit from the EMA scheme.

The 21-year-old gained NVQ Levels 2 and 3 in administration during a two-year period of study at Evesham and Malvern Hills College.

She said: "EMA was a real help for me because I live in quite a small, rural village and I needed a car to get to and from the college."

After finishing the course managers at the college decided to employ Miss Gardiner for a job in curriculum administration.

She said: "I'd done a couple of weeks' work experience on the college reception and in the admin offices during my course, so I knew I'd like to work here if the chance came up.

"I applied for the job and got it - and I'm really enjoying it. There's a lot of database work and I'm involved with designing course publicity materials, which I'm really enjoying."

Across the West Midlands region, the number of young learners benefiting from EMA has increased by nearly 50 per cent since the scheme was launched in 2004/05, with 64,611 taking up the support in the last financial year. Research found that in its first year of national roll out, EMA encouraged an additional 18,500 young people to participate in further education who would not have done so without the financial support and incentive.

EMA was introduced to combat the financial barriers to learning - proving that resources are being targeted where they are most needed.

Lynne Rockett, Evesham and Malvern Hills College EMA co-ordinator, said: "I think Jen is a good example of the real strength of EMA in that it rewards dedication, personal organisation and reliability as much as academic attainment."

For more information about EMA, visit www.

direct.gov.uk/ema.