UKCES

Our foundation year established our fundamental responsibilities to all four nations and laid the groundwork for the first of our annual assessments on the status of the UK’s employment and skills systems – and for our strategic direction of travel. We established the UK Commission as a functioning organisation, building our knowledge base and developing our reputation and credibility.

The highlights of our first financial period included:

• The Government immediately adopting our initial recommendations on simplification of the employment and skills system in England. This was followed by public consultation and employer research in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, as well as England

• Our Now is the time to invest in skills media campaign which generated publicity, support and debate across the four nations

• Substantial progress on reforming, relicensing and empowering Sector Skills Councils (SSCs)

• Publication of Working Futures 2007-17: A biennial, all-sector, labour market intelligence and foresight report setting out likely changes to the labour market in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over the following decade

• Intensive preparatory work in our first year culminated in the publication in May 2009 of two major documents: Ambition 2020: World Class Skills and Jobs for the UK and our Five Year Strategic Plan 2009-2014. Taken together, these reports set a dynamic agenda for our second period.