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Lord Leitch publishes review of long term skills needs
6 Dec 2006
Lord Leitch today published his final report, 'Prosperity for all in the Global Economy: World Class Skills', which examines the UK's long-term skills needs.
The UK has significantly improved the skills base with rising school and college standards and strong growth in graduate numbers.
Lord Leitch recommends radical change across the whole skills spectrum by:
- Increasing skill attainments at all levels;
- Routing public funding of vocational skills through Train to Gain and Learner Accounts;
- Strengthening the employer voice on skills through creation of a new Commission for Employment & Skills, increasing employer engagement and investment in skills, reforming Sector Skills Councils who will simplify and approve vocational training;
- Launching a new 'pledge' for employers to voluntarily train more employees at work. If insufficient progress has been made by 2010, introduce a statutory right for employees to access workplace training;
- Increasing employer investment in higher level qualifications, especially in Apprenticeships and in degree and postgraduate levels; significantly more training in the workplace;
- Raising people's aspirations and awareness of the value of skills, creating a new universal adult careers service to diagnose skill needs with a skills health check available for all;
- Government to introduce compulsory education or workplace training up to age 18 following introduction of new Diplomas and expanded Apprenticeship route; and
- Integrating the public employment & skills services to deliver sustainable employment, enabling more disadvantaged people to gain skills and find work, developing employer-led Employment and Skills Boards.
Lord Leitch concludes:
"Skills were once a key lever for prosperity and fairness. Skills are now increasingly the key lever."
For more information see the HM Treasury Leitch Review website.
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