UKCES

Last October, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills published its Simplification of Skills in England report which set out initial recommendations to government for improving the post-compulsory skills system for employers. The project consists of two phases. Phase One follows up on the recommendations in the original report, investigating the degree to which they have been implemented and how successful they have been. Phase Two takes a broader look at the system, considering how it can be ‘rewired’ to continue to meet employers’ needs and integrate the employment and skills services in the most effective and sustainable way.

Phase One

The Phase One interim report was published in July 2009 and examined the progress made up to that point in six areas for action identified in the 2008 report. The recommendations were designed to make it easier for employers to find and obtain the support they need and to conceal the system’s complexity.

The final Phase One project report was published in December 2009. It gives final red/amber/green ratings to the progress indicators in the following six areas for action:

• talentmap: how employers can find out about publicly-funded skills services online
• Integrated Brokerage Service: how employers of all sizes get access to the support they need for their businesses through suitably skilled intermediaries
• Train to Gain core service: the comprehensive service for employers to meet their mainstream business skills needs
• Train to Gain ‘Plus’: specialised skills services to meet strategic skills needs such as sectoral or higher level skills and services
• Branding: coherent, consistent messaging to business by government on all publicly-funded skills and business support
• Bureaucracy Reduction: reducing the complexity of funding and contracting systems, simplifying qualifications and making quality assurance fit for purpose.

We gathered evidence through interviews with over 500 people including employers, regional partners, national government departments and agencies, colleges and other learning providers and business organisations. We also conducted research amongst almost 3000 employers. Our findings showed that good progress has been made against the indicators, however there is still more work to be done if the system is to meet employers’ needs.

The report drew three main conclusions: that users want to see longer term certainty in the system, without unnecessary tinkering and micromanagement; that by removing unnecessary processes the system can deliver more for less, which is vital given the current economic climate; and that government should avoid the introduction of new organisational brands.

Phase Two

In August 2009 Phase Two of the project held a consultation focusing on three questions:

• What are the most appropriate targets, measures and incentives to ensure that publicly-funded employment and skills services deliver sustainable outcomes in jobs, skills and productivity?
• Given significant pressure on future public expenditure, how can we simplify public funding streams to lever substantially greater investment in workforce development from employers and individuals and to reduce administrative costs within the system?
• What three measures are most likely to simplify the complexity of organisations, processes and initiatives in order to maximize the value of public development in frontline delivery?

We received over 125 written responses reflecting views from all areas of the system. In order to better understand the concerns of different groups, we broke the responses down into six categories: employers, SSCs/SSBs, awarding bodies, providers, public bodies and learners. You can read the summaries of the feedback and the consultation list below.

As well as soliciting written responses from stakeholders and other interested parties, the UK Commission held an online seminar on July 23^rd to examine these issues in detail. The debate continued on Twitter where respondents could post their views on the latest developments.

The Phase Two findings were developed in the UK Commission’s recent report ‘Towards Ambition 2020: skills, jobs, growth’ published in October 2009.

Elements of recommendations contained within the report were accepted by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in their ‘Skills for Growth’ white paper. UKCES will be working closely with government to implement these proposals over the next 12 months.