From the Decade of the Enterprise Culture to the Decade of the TECs

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Abstract
This article looks back at the rise of the enterprise movement in the 1980s and forward to the establishment and performance of 82 Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) in England and Wales during the 1990s. Both strategies are thought to be part of an ideological project of the Conservative Government to transform Britain's economy and education by means of the enterprise culture. The main intiatives designed to promote such a culture are described, the concept of enterprise as used on enterprise courses is examined and the conclusion drawn that there is no generic skill of enterprise whose essence can be distilled and taught A number of crucialissues in relation to the new TECs (the need for a national plan for education, training and employment, the commitment of employers, future remit, accountability and representation, etc.) are discussed and some constructive suggestions made. The next ten years will show whether TECs prove to be an ambitious, forward‐looking and productive strategy or an ill‐advised, risky and unsuccessful gamble with the future prosperity of Britain.

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