EEF, the Manufacturers Organisation has given its strong backing to The UK Commission for Employment and Skills’ (UKCES) review of the UK skills system, ahead of a high-level seminar today at which the findings will be presented.
EEF is urging the Government to make the report the basis of its National Skills Strategy, and believes a failure to follow the recommendations risks leaving the UK workforce ill-equipped for the future.
The report ‘Towards Ambition 2020: skills, jobs, growth’ fully reflects EEF’s long held views on how the UK’s education, employment and skills systems could be simplified, made more effective and become more responsive to the needs of their customers.
Many of its proposals support the thinking outlined in the EEF report ‘Learning to Change’ which was published in 2006, in particular
- proposing a ‘leading edge 21st century universal Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) system, using web, telephone and face-to-face support.
- expanding the volume of Apprenticeships for young people and adults overall, particularly at level 3, by diverting a share of Train to Gain funding.
- that government should work with sector organisations such as Sector Skills Councils to identify and promote a stronger UK business presence in key emerging, high-growth sectors and industries.
EEF also welcomed the call for the number of quangos to be reduced in an attempt to “de-clutter” the government-funded training system.
“The report reiterates the mountain we need to climb to improve current skill levels and equip the workforce to meet future challenges and the needs of a modern manufacturing sector."according to Nigel Fletcher, Education and Skills Adviser at EEF.
“Government must take on board the thinking set out by the Commission to develop a long-term strategy for skills and adopt the recommendations. In order to be fully effective this must be done in a wholesale manner as opposed to cherry picking.”