Rosemary Winter-Scott
Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG
Deputy Director Head of Employability & Skills
AGCAS Conference Friday 20th June 2008
Overview
• • • • Scottish Government‟s Strategic approach Background and outline of the Skills Strategy Where we are heading individuals to access IAG Easier for employers & A brief introduction to Skills Development Scotland
The Government‟s Purpose
Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG
The Government‟s Purpose
To focus government and public services on
creating a more successful country, with
Easier for employers individuals to access flourish, opportunities for all&of Scotland to IAG
through increasing sustainable economic
growth
High Level Purpose Targets
Economic Growth (GDP) – raise GDP growth Productivity – increase productivity Participation – maintain labour market participation Population – match EU15 population growth & increase life expectancy Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG • Solidarity – increase income (especially in lowest decile) • Cohesion – narrow gap in performance between best & worst regions • Sustainability – reduce emissions • • • •
5 Strategic Objectives
WEALTHIER & FAIRER
Enable businesses and people to increase their wealth and more people to share fairly in that wealth
Expand opportunities for Scots to succeed from nurture SMARTER through to lifelong learning ensuring higher and more Widely shared achievements. Help people individuals improve their health, especially Easier for employers &to sustain andto access IAG in disadvantaged communities, ensuring better, local and HEALTHIER faster access to health care
SAFER & STRONGER GREENER
Help local communities to flourish, becoming stronger, safer places to live, offering improved opportunities and a better quality of life.
Improve Scotland‟s natural and built environment And the sustainable use and enjoyment of it.
Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG
National Outcomes
• We realise our full economic potential with more and better employment opportunities for our people • We are better educated, more skilled and more successful, renowned for our for employers & individuals to access IAG Easier research and innovation • Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens • Our children have the best start in life and are ready to succeed • …….
National Indicators and Targets
• Increase the percentage of Scottish domiciled graduates from Scottish Higher Education in positive destinations • Increase theEasier for employers & individuals to access IAG proportion of school leavers (from Scottish publicly funded schools) in positive and sustained destinations (FE, HE employment or training)
Why do we need a Skills Strategy
“Skills development contributes to economic development from which …. other benefits flow, such as social justice, stronger communities & more engaged citizens.”
Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG
• But Scotland‟s skills profile and qualification levels are not matched by its economic growth rate • So ..it is not just about more skills… • We need to address the demand for and utilisation of skills
Our Vision
A smarter Scotland with a globally competitive economy based on high value jobs, with progressive and innovative business leadership
Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG
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people motivated & confident to learn new skills small businesses & migrant workers encouraged employers invest in and access to a skilled workforce learning & training delivery = one system – barriers removed
Approach - Consensus
• Skills nested within lifelong learning • Improve employer voice, but not at the expense of the individual Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG • Create demand for skills, not increase the qualifications stockpile
Three Priorities
• Individual development
Easier for • Economic employers & individuals to access IAG pull
• Cohesive structures
Across the continuum of lifelong learning
• A strong start – early years, compulsory
education
• Developing potential – learning for the world of
Easier for out of the workforce work for thoseemployers & individuals to access IAG • Making skills work for Scotland – work based learning & role of employers • Information, advice & guidance – support services
• Learner centred funding support
Individual Development
1. Developing a distinctively Scottish Approachbalancing the needs of employers & individuals & placing the individual at the centre Ensuring equal access to & participation in skills and learning for everyone Developing a coherent funding structure – that encourages participation & increases choice
Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG
2.
3.
Economic Pull
4. Stimulating demand for skills from employers –public & private 5. Improving skills utilisation
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6. Understanding current & future projected demands for skills
7. Challenging employers, providers & awarding bodies to use the SCQF
Cohesive Structures
8. 9. Simplify structures - creating one body focused on skills (Creation of Skills Development Scotland) Ensure Curriculum for Excellence is at the heart of skills acquisition
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10. Achieve parity of esteem between academic & vocational learning
11. Challenge funding bodies to achieve a step change
12. Encourage training providers to bridge the gaps for learners
Call to Action
Next stage - to deliver in conjunction with stakeholders, employers and individuals in Scotland:
• “where we have issued challenges we expect to see a response;
Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG
• where we have said we will make changes, we will work with you to deliver these; and • where we have indicated that we need further policy development, we will do this in partnership”.
Strategic Fit
• Sits below: – Government Economic Strategy – Budget • Interacts with: Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG – Local Authority Concordat • Sits alongside: – Existing work • Eg MCMC – Upcoming work: • Eg:Early Years Strategy; Science Strategy
Since Publication
• A „programme management‟ approach – To provide strategic direction, endorsement and leadership for the work resulting from the skills strategy – To ensure for employers & individuals to access IAGthe Scottish Easier coordination of all work across Government and external stakeholders • A number of associated projects – „Skills Utilization/employer demand‟ based on lessons learned from Ireland – „Offender learning strategy‟
Since Publication
• Simplify structures - creating one body focused on skills a Skills Development Scotland – Bringing together learndirect Scotland, Careers Scotland and most the skills and training aspects of Easier for employers Scottish Enterprise & individuals to access IAG and Highlands and Island Enterprise
Skills Development Scotland (SDS)
Ministers looked to have: „shell organisation‟ in place by end 2007 SDS operational („up and running‟) by April 2008 SDS „fully operational‟ by individuals to access IAG summer 2008 Easier for employers & Scale of challenge:
• • • 3 organisations, 1,500 staff budgets circa £200m happening alongside major SE/HIE reforms
Skills Development Scotland (SDS)
Key Milestones:
• SDS legally established (December 2007)
• Interim management structure in place
Easier for employers & individuals to access IAG
• Outline Operating Plan agreed (March 2008)
• Staff transfers completed (April 2008) • Substantive Board appointments completed May/June 2008) • Announcement of CEO appointment by end of June 2008