Update from the National Audit Office - February 2009
The NAO has completed their analysis of tranche one SSCs (Skillset, Cogent, People 1st, Semta and FSSC). Draft reports were sent out to the SSCs for consideration to ensure consistency in approach and judgement. The Sector Skills Councils can comment on any factual inaccuracies in the reports or provide additional evidence before they submit them to the UK Commission.
Site visits for the second tranche (Asset Skills, SummitSkills, Energy & Utility Skills, Skillfast and e-skills UK), were completed in early February 2009.
Planning meetings have already taken place for the third tranche of SSCs (Skills for Health, SkillsActive, Improve, Skills for Care and Development,and Skills for Justice) with Site visits starting mid February.
Planning meetings for tranche four begin in February.
The site visits comprise of interviews and focus groups from the SSC, employers across the Council's footprint, and local or sector-specific stakeholders. Key stakeholders, such as the Regional Development Agencies, Learning and Skills Councils, awarding bodies, government departments and the devolved nations also provided feedback.
The reports feature four key themes: (i) a well run SSC (ii) SSC core products and services, (iii) SSC sector specific solutions, and (iv) SSC results and impacts. At the end of each section is a table listing the SSC's strengths and the areas for improvement.