Britain unveils skill strategy

Citation

(2003), "Britain unveils skill strategy", Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 27 No. 9. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeit.2003.00327iab.001

Britain unveils skill strategy

Britain unveils skill strategy

Free learning for adults who need it most, a new adult-learning grant to help them to meet the costs of learn-ing and a strengthening of modern apprenticeships are among themeasures the British government hopes will deliver the skills that individuals, employers and the nation require for the new century.

A partnership of government, the Confederation of British Industry, the Trades Union Congress, the Small Business Council and key delivery partners will be brought together to drive forward the strategy to ensure that skill needs are identified, mapped and met, to increase national productivity and individual employability.

Launching the strategy, education secretary Charles Clarke said: "Skills matter. They help business to compete, and they help individuals to raise their employability and toprovide a route to a better life. The success of the country depends on its skill base. For the first time, we have produced a skill strategy based on a true partnership to enable more businesses to win in the global economy, by developing a multi-skilled, flexible labour force.

"Increasing the nation's skill levels is not about endless piecemeal initiatives. It's about a partnership between the government, business and the unions, working together to forge a skills alliance".

The proposals clarify the respective roles of key partners at national, regional and local levels. The plans set out a new understanding of how the government, employers andindividuals can create a demand-led education and training system that will raise the skills of the nation. The key reforms are:

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  introducing free learning for any adult who does not already havea good foundation of skills for employability, to help them to achieve a full level 2 qualification (five GCSEs or equivalent);

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  new opportunities for adults to gain qualifications in technician and higher craft and trade skills, through a level 3 qualification (two A-levels or equivalent) in regional or sectoral skill-shortage areas;

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  funding a new £30 weekly grant for adult learners in the priority groups to support them in study-ing full-time courses in further education;

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  expanding the successful adultbasic skills campaign to make information and communication technology the third essential "skill for life" alongside literacy and numeracy;

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  lifting the age cap for modern apprenticeships so that people over the age of 25 can learn skilled trades;

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  safeguarding leisure, culture and community learning, particularly focusing on pensioners, those on low incomes and benefit recipients;

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  reforming adult informationadvice and guidance services to help adults into learning, and to ensure that individuals can find out what to learn, where to learn and what they are entitled to;

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  rapidly expanding the sector skill council network to identify, map and meet key skill needs in employment sectors;

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  learning the lessons from theemployer training pilots, as a basis for developing a national programme for employers to deliver training in the way that they want it, particularly for low-skilledemployees;

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  reforming qualifications to make them more employer-friendly and responsive to business needs, by helping employers to package units of training in different areas to form the training programme that best meets their needs;

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  ensuring greater employer involvement in the design and delivery of modern apprenticeships;

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  developing business-support services on a "no wrong door"approach, so that employers know who to turn to for help on skills, bringing in a wider range of intermediaries and sources of help, and joining up the work of Business Link, local learning and skills councils and Jobcentre Plus;

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  publishing an employers' guide to good training, bringing together clear information on everything employers need to know to improve the skills of their workforce;

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  introducing a new management and leadership drive, working with Investors in People.

The Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, said: "The skill gap hits businesses hardest – and this strategy puts their needs first. It is a good result for businesses and for the economy. It recognizes that the education system must meet the needs of the workplace. This is a strategy that responds to what business needs, enabling us to meet the demands of the economy.

"Although the UK is one of the most competitive places in the world in which to do business, we still lag behind many of our international competitors in terms of productivity, and part of that is due to the skill gap we have identified. Involving employers in vocational education, opening up education to people of all ages and focusing on adults' basic skills are all part of a far-reaching strategy that puts the UK firmly on track to the high value, high skills economy we need".

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Andrew Smith, said the skill strategy would prove invaluable in helping to build on the impressive employment record to date.

"Our active labour-market policies, including the New Deal and ourinvestment in Jobcentre Plus, have ensured record levels of employment in the UK. Improving skills is central to our goal of full employment as it is often the key that can unlock the door to a job. The skill strategy outlines how we can go further to ensure that people have the right training and skills to fulfil their potential and continue our successful employment record".

The Confederation of British Industry director-general, Digby Jones, said: "Charles Clarke is right torecognize the role of employers and is giving them a greater say in the content and delivery of trainingprogrammes. For too long there has been a mismatch between the needs of employers and the services of training providers. The challenge now is to turn paper promises into practical realities as soon as possible".

The Trades Union Congress general secretary, Brendan Barber, said: "Tackling the UK's skill deficitposes a huge challenge to us all. The announcement that government,employers and unions are to work side by side in the skills alliance is a great boost to the unions and employers who are already working together to improve training in workplaces across the UK. A highly skilledworkforce is ultimately in everyone's interest – the individual workers, their employers and the UK economy".

William Sargent, chairman of the Small Business Council, said: "I am really pleased that the need for small firms to be involved in formulating training options is being addressed. I look forward to helping the Department for Education and Skills to close the skill gap, which is a critical issue in the small-business community".