Some of these reforms highlighted in World Class Skills: Implementing the Leitch Review of Skills in England which will be discussed at the forum include: - A 'skills revolution' in order to close the skills gap at all levels, right across the nation by 2020
Public Service Agreements for skills and employment will be finalised in the autumn, but current thinking is to achieve the following by 2011: o Participation in full-time education amongst 16-18 year olds to rise to 84% o 89% to be qualified to at least level 1, and 81% to be qualified to at least entry level 3 numeracy o 79 % of adults qualified to at least full level 2 o 56% of adults qualified to at least full level 3 By 2014, 36% of adults qualified to level 4 and above Increased employer responsibility for the skills of their employees Between now and 2020, employers and individuals will need to make a sustained and increased investment in improving their respective skills New legislation to strengthen the current funding entitlement for adults to free training in basic literacy and numeracy skills, and to achieve their first full level 2 qualification Possible new enabling legislation to make it easier for Sector Skills Councils to introduce levy schemes where they consider that would help improve skills and productivity in their sector. This would only be possible if supported by a majority of employers in that sector and where impact assessments are positive UK plc to achieve 80% employment, breaking the cycle of low-skilled and temporary jobs, and eradicating child poverty Continuation of the Skills Pledge, launched in June 2007, which is a voluntary commitment made by organisations who undertake to support their staff: o Get basic literacy and numeracy skills o Work towards achieving their first full level 2 qualification in an area of value to the employer Employers making the Skills Pledge commitment will be able to access Government support to deliver their pledge through: o A new much broader Train to Gain Service o Advice from an independent skills broker to help assess their training needs and source the right provision/provider for them o Free literacy, numeracy and a first level 2 for their staff An introduction of innovations in the delivery of training, most notably through the Train to Gain brokerage service The customer, adult learners and employers, at the heart of a demand-led approach Funding to be increasingly demand-led through Train to Gain o £440 million in 2007/08 o £650 million in 2008/09 o £900 million in 2010/11 - this could reach £1.3 with other employer focused funding Over this period a new piloted Skills Account will be rolled out ensuring that the FE system is also responsive to individual learner choice The Skills Account will: o Give the individual a choice over their learning, motivating them to gain skills and achieve qualifications, enter work and progress in employment o Provide access to full range of adult information, advice and guidance services available from a new universal career service A new UK Commission for Employment and Skills operational from 2008. This will: o Provide a vigorous, expert and external challenge to the employment and skills system at all levels o Report to Government in 2010 on whether a statutory entitlement to training is appropriate and whether further institutional change is required to deliver a better integrated employment and skills service o Advise Government on skills and employment strategy, targets and progress o Oversee the reform and performance of the Sector Skills Councils Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) remit will be focused on: o Raising employer ambition and investment in skills at all levels o Articulating the future skill needs of their sector o Ensuring that the supply of skills and qualifications is driven by employers o Ensuring only those vocational qualifications which meet the standards set by the SSCs will be placed onto the Qualifications and Credit Framework o Making it easier for employers to have their own in-house training accredited through the Qualifications and Credit Framework 14-19 year olds will have access to: o A reformed programme which includes the roll out of the new Diplomas in a number of broad occupational areas that have been developed with the relevant SSCs o An increased number of Apprenticeships 19-25 year olds will have access to: o A new entitlement to free training to help people in this target group achieve their first level 3 o Advanced Apprenticeships via Train to Gain The intention to introduce plans to increase the participation age to 18, so that those up to this age will be required to continue in education or training
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