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What is a Sector Skills Agreement?A Sector Skills Agreement (SSA) is a national agreement between employers, their Sector Skills Council (SSC), key Government departments (e.g. the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Department for Education and Skills, Department of Trade and Industry) and delivery partners such as the Learning and Skills Council, Regional Development Agencies, Higher Educational Institutions, Trades Union Congress, Confederation of British Industry, Small Business Council and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
Each SSC will broker an agreement with the employers and stakeholders in their sector to ensure that ‘the skills the sector needs are the skills the sector gets’.
What are the outcomes of Asset Skills’ SSA likely to be?Sector Skills Agreements have already been completed by some of the ‘path finder’ SSCs (SSCs who did their SSA first). Some of the outcomes of this work included developments such as an agreed apprenticeship framework, establishing centres of excellence for training courses, providing specific types of business development for employers, providing information, advice and guidance to professionals in the industry and providing information on progression and transferability routes within the sector. It is likely that Asset Skills’ SSA will result in similar ‘deals’ being brokered with our stakeholders.
I’m an employer, what’s in it for my organisation?Being involved in the SSA process will give employers and stakeholders the opportunity to shape learning provision in the sector. It also provides a collaborative environment for learning in the sector as employers are able to share their experiences with each other employers and with training providers.
I’m an employer, what’s in it for my staff?The development of a SSA for the Asset Skills’ sector will ensure that learning is supported by employers and that undertaking learning will lead to real job opportunities. Furthermore, the SSA will identify clear career routes through the industry, and provide employees with information on career development options.
What makes up a Sector Skills Agreement?The SSA consists of the following five phases. For further information and up to date research reports please click on each of the following links.
Phase 1 - Skills Need Assessment
Phase 2 - Understanding Supply
Phase 3 - Gap analysis and market testing
Phase 4 - Action with employers
Phase 5 - Action planning SSA TimelineWe are currently well underway with our SSA. The following table outlines the five stages to the SSA, and the timeline for these stages:
| | Stage in SSA | Timeline |
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| Phase 1 - Skills Need Assessment | Completed |
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| Phase 2 - Assessment of current provision | Completed |
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| Phase 3 - Gap Analysis | Completed |
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| Phase 4. Collaborative action between employers and Asset Skills | 31/03/07
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| Phase 5 - Assessment and partner sign-up | 31/03/07 |
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| Publication and Launch of the SSA | April 2007 |
Further informationFor information on how you can become involved in our SSA or if you have further enquiries, please contact our Research Department.
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