Strengthening the employer voice
Strengthening the employer voice is just one of the recommendations coming out of the Leitch Review when it was published on 5 December. The report makes a number of key recommendations and objectives that aim to increase the skills of the UK workforce, enabling effective competition on the world stage. It recommends commitment to becoming a world leader in skills by 2020.
OCS Chief Executive and Asset Skills Chair Chris Cracknell said: “Lord Leitch’s review stresses the importance of improving the UK’s skill base if we are to be globally competitive. By increasing employer involvement and fundamentally changing our approach to skills training and investment, we will put ourselves and UK economy in a much stronger position”.
“We are aware that employers want to see more relevant education and training at all levels and are pleased that the early indications from the report show that more authority will be given to employers through the Sector Skills Councils, enabling us to have a real impact on skills and training provision.”
It is expected that Asset Skills will have a central role to play in the follow up to the review. Each Sector Skills Council is licensed by the Government to help employers determine what training should be provided and boost their own investment in skills. Working with employers and professional bodies Asset Skills has developed positive relationships with its employers to identify and respond skills issues across each of its industries.
Asset Skills Chief Executive Richard Beamish comments: “Lord Leitch’s focus on the key role of employers in determining the skills the UK needs for efficiency and effectiveness endorses the work that Asset Skills is already undertaking. We look forward to increased employer influence on the curriculum at all levels, ensuring that skills gaps are virtually eliminated and industry can compete with the best in the world.”
“Leitch’s recommendations represent a huge opportunity for all organisations to have a bigger influence on the skills agenda. We will only have ourselves to blame if we do not grasp this with both hands.”