UKCES

Over the first two years of our existence, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills has sought to make a real contribution to policy and practice in the UK. We believe we have established credibility and recognition as an independent hub for skills policy formation and as an effective transmitter of strategic advice, compelling analysis and potential solutions to the governments of the UK.

As we recover from recession, we need more people in work and more people in productive work. We need more businesses, and more successful businesses, offering more and better jobs. And we need more and better skilled people to get us there and keep us there. There is little that is more important than equipping ourselves with the skills we need, for the jobs we need, for the successful businesses of tomorrow. As we recover from recession it also provides an unparalleled opportunity to focus more than ever on our ambitions for skills, jobs and the reform of our employment and skills systems.

We want the UK to be one of the best places to live. As the country recovers from recession, we need more people in work and more people in productive work. We need more businesses, and more successful businesses, offering more and better jobs. And we need more and better skilled people to get us there and keep us there. There is little that is more
important than equipping ourselves with the skills we need, for the jobs we need, for the successful businesses of tomorrow. As we recover from recession it also provides an unparalleled opportunity to focus more than ever on our ambitions for skills, jobs and the reform of our employment and skills systems.

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Yet it also contains many challenges and there is no 'quick fix'.

The UK Commission’s first strategic plan, published at the same time as this document, sets our vision, mission and priorities for the next five years and beyond as we seek to improve the economic competitiveness and social cohesion of the UK through increasing employment and skills of the working age population and balancing the needs of providers, individuals, employers and communities.

This business plan details the actions we intend to take to complete the first steps of our five year strategy. Much of it builds upon the excellent work started in our first year, taking a number of strands of work onto the next stage. But it also presents new work arising from the current challenging economic situation, from consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and from the findings of our own work in the past year.

If you would like to receive a hard copy please email ukces@prolog.uk.com quoting the full report title, the reference number 00491-2009BKT-EN and a full postal address. Copies will be distributed free of charge whilst stocks last. Please note there is a five copy limit per person.

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It reflects the key findings and implications of our Ambition 2020: World Class Skills and Jobs for the UK, published in April 2009. It will be supported by the detailed programme of work contained in our annual Business Plan.

Our five year strategy has been developed in the context of a global recession that may be the deepest in 75 years. The impact on the economy and society will be far-reaching. To secure economic renewal – to emerge from the recession stronger, more adaptable, more competitive – will demand bold and concerted action across all sectors. Our strategy, therefore, must focus not only on how to survive the recession, but on how we will thrive in the years ahead. We recognise and endorse the determination of the UK governments to create strong and sustainable economies built on world-class skills set out in the national skills strategies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and, most recently, in the British and English publications such as Work Skills and New Industry and New Jobs.

If you would like to receive a hard copy please email ukces@prolog.uk.com quoting the full report title, the reference number 00490-2009BKT-EN and a full postal address. Copies will be distributed free of charge whilst stocks last. Please note there is a five copy limit per person.