The report analyses the skills needed by firms to succeed in an increasingly competitive global environment and, whether the current system is supporting the development of the workforce which the economy needs.
EEF believes that, despite the fact some government initiatives are relatively new, there is clear evidence of flaws in the current system. Marrying sector and regional led approaches has created excessive complexity with poor relationships between the organisations involved. This has led to a muddled landscape with excessive bureaucracy, duplication of effort and confused and disengaged employers.
In response, EEF is proposing a move from the current fragmented approach to a more streamlined one, which is sector based and demand led. This system would ensure clear roles and responsibilities for assessing skills needs and the allocation of funding, leading to a reduction in waste and inefficiency.
By adopting a sector based approach, EEF believes that regional needs would also be addressed as these tend to be a function of the geographical spread of industry.