Further education is provided by local authorities in the United Kingdom in fulfillment of their statutory duties under the Education Reform Act (ERA) of 1988. Through the ERA and its counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the government aims to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of further education colleges. Educational finance includes student grants and local education agency funding of further education colleges. Labor market programs in Great Britain are delivered via the Training Agency. The government's primary training programs include the Youth Training Scheme, Community Industry Scheme, Employment Training, the Job Training Programme (Northern Ireland), and Business Growth Training. Other providers of education and training (employers; trade unions, through the Trade Union Congress; and private providers) are funded by central government departments other than those with main responsibility for education and training. Three main types of provider are publicly funded institutions, nonprofit providers with a reasonable degree of autonomy from government, and for-profit providers. Competition within local markets appears to be based on reputation and quality of provision. Sources of information about further education and training include the Careers Service, prospecti, databases, and the media. About 300 examining and validating and professional bodies are involved in vocational education and training. (YLB)