The aim of the project is to pilot a cross-border approach to the provision of Literacy Training, North and South, co-operating with and using existing structures and services, and integrating with employment services, North and South. The approach is to provide a common progression route to accredited trainer qualifications and to train Unemployed Resource Centre staff to Level 3 so that they can deliver Basic Skills training to unemployed and other groups at a distance from the labour market. Achievements: The Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre completed a very successful cross border project addressing the needs of essential skills learners in the workplace. This projectwas part-financed by a total of €268,533 over 2 calls of the Programme with match funding provided by FAS. The programme came about because one in four adults inNorthern Ireland and Ireland perform at the lowest levels of literacy competence. As an island we are looking towards knowledgebased economy, it therefore does not bodewell for future economic stability unless we make further inroads into addressing this significant problem. The countries of the Organisation for European Cooperation and Development (OECD) are placing even more emphasis on the devolvement of knowledge economies. The aim is to increase effectiveness, increase good jobs and sustain longterm economic growth. Although there is a marked increase in the rate of participation in adult education and training experienced in most OECD participating countries this is also accompanied by strong indications that many people with low skills continue to be excluded from further education and training. Research shows that investmentin literacy / numeracy is three times more important to a nations economic development than investment in physical capital.The programme not only delivered training to potential essential skills tutors from both sides of the border but also awareness raising workshops for companies, around one hundred and fifty participants from various businesses on both sides of the border. A Learning Advocate training course was designed through the programme to shop floor workers to enable them to promote Lifelong Learning and in particular essential skills classes to fellow employees. As a result of increased awareness in the workplace over 500 individual learners received essential skills certificates through local providers such as the VEC and Access Skills Ireland. The Department of Employment and Learning (DEL) and their Essential Skills for Living Strategy has certainly had its up and downs over the past three years but it has made a positive impact on the professionalism of tutors and has gone some way to solving the problem of tutor availability. Seventeen of the original level two Adult Support tutors who received training on the programmehave gone on to the higher level 4 City & Guilds Adult Literacy Tutor training funded through the programme and taking place at the North West Regional Institute.Problems have arisen in Ireland where provision is still serviced by voluntary tutors, three timesmore than the number of paid tutors. The programme has highlighted the fact that if all potentialcompanies and employees decide to engage in essential skills classes there would not be enoughqualified tutors to provide classes. The programme has gone some to improving this situation withforty seven new tutors receiving accreditation. Certainly in Ireland there has been an increase infunding for essential skills provision in the workplace, but as no national essential skills operationalplan exists there has been no consideration given to the lack of tutors or their professionalqualification structure.During the programme two certificated tutor training courses were designed and submitted toFETAC, Irelands national accreditation authority. The level four course has received accreditationand is up and running, the level six course in still under review with FETAC.The programme has been successful in driving forward the essential skill agenda while alsohighlighting a number of issues that need further consideration. Most importantly a need for an Irishpolicy on increasing the number of qualified tutors and a national set of qualifications. The mappingof tutor qualifications in both jurisdictions, to ensure standards of provision must be addressedincluding the mobility of tutors, especially in the border regions. Recognition of the equal value ofqualifications for essential skills learners also needs to be recognised.The programme successfully hosted a cross border conference on the Workplace as a LearningCentre and included speakers from all interested parties, such as the National Adult LiteracyAssociation, the Confederation of Small Business and the Department of Employment andLearning. One of the participating tutors, Eileen, felt that she would not have had this opportunityto re- skill if it had not been for this programme and was enjoying working with essential skillslearnersThe joint programme having raised a number of issues, has however demonstrated that changes inlabour force demographics, a changing economy and the need to up skill workers will drive forwardan essential skills strategy and will focus policy makers, services providers, employers, tradeunions and employees and educational bodies to look to work-based educational needs if we are tosustain economic growth.