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news - BIS consultation on skills policy
 Skills
Minister John Hayes has today invited employers,
individuals, colleges and training organisations to share
their ideas on how they would like skills policy to be set
out in the future.
The consultation document Skills for Sustainable Growth
outlines BIS’s vision for skills and what are expected to be
the key elements of a strategy for delivering it.
This is complemented by the consultation FE and Skills
Funding System and Methodology for Further Education
colleges and training organisations, following an
independent review by Chris Banks, CBE.
The documents invite views on:
- How private investment in skills can be optimised in
accordance with benefits and to allow public money to be
used most effectively where it is most needed;
- Where more limited public investment should be
focused and the skills system can be made simpler and
more effective;
- How support for individuals and employers can be
improved to develop skills and learning and meet the
needs of the economy;
- How businesses can be encouraged to engage in
supporting local community learning;
- Holding colleges and other training organisations to
account for their performance in responding to learners
and employers needs and to prioritising training that
adds real economic value.
John Hayes, minister for Further Education, Skills
and Lifelong Learning, said:
"“Skills are vital for our economy but they also help to
build stronger communities and empower individuals. Only
by seeing learning as a single whole, not a series of
separate compartments, can we ensure that it takes its
place at heart of both business strategy and community
life.
"Delivering future priorities will involve making
difficult choices about the use of public funds. I
believe that we can deliver more and save money. But we
will only achieve cost effectiveness by challenging the
orthodox assumptions about what skills are for, how they
are funded and what role Government should play.
I am determined to ensure our decisions are the result
of proper consultation so that policy reflects real
priorities. I therefore welcome responses to the
questions in this paper.
By acknowledging the value of learning we can begin the
task of re-evaluating our priorities, rediscovering
craft, redefining community learning, rejuvenating
apprenticeships, rebalancing the economy and building a
big society."
On Tuesday, the Department launched a paper, A Strategy
for Sustainable Growth, which argues that while we face
a period of tough savings in public spending, we are
determined to create an environment that enables
businesses to operate with confidence and helping to
secure the economy for the future.
Skills for Sustainable Growth will inform a strategy on
skills which will be published in the autumn after the
Spending Review. The strategy will outline the
Government’s principles for the skills system and a
framework for policy for the next five years.
The consultation will acknowledge that Further Education
and Skills is integral to supporting the economy but
that action to reduce the deficit will mean public
investment being used more effectively. It will also ask
for comments on how to best deliver the key elements of
the strategy in the context of less public money
overall.
The consultation FE and Skills Funding System and
Methodology examines ways in which the funding to
support the development of skills can best be allocated
and used, and includes in its reach funding policy and
budgetary arrangements for colleges and training
organisations, the funding formula, allocations,
procurement and contracting and performance management.
The skills consultation is available to read at
www.bis.gov.uk/skills-consultation |