BIS FE and Skills e-Newsletter

Audience: All

The new national skills strategy, Skills for Growth, was published on Wednesday 11 November. Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Mandelson said:
“An active government approach to equipping this country for globalisation means making sure we have the skills that underwrite the industries and jobs of the future. That means skills for the high tech, low carbon, more high-value added sectors that drive the growth that underwrites everything else we want to achieve as a society. These skills are becoming more sophisticated and complex, and more vital”
The new strategy takes some important decisions and marks a radical shift in some of the priorities of our skills system, so it can support recovery and a return to sustainable growth.
Commitments include:
• Creating a modern technician class through more advanced apprenticeships
• Investing in skills in the sectors on which future growth and jobs depend
• Empowering individuals through skills accounts giving people ‘consumer choice’ and better information about courses
• The introduction of light touch monitoring arrangements for our best training organisations
• Simplifying the skills landscape, working with UKCES to implement their recommendation to reduce the number of separately publicly funded agencies by over 30 in the next three years
The launch of the strategy coincided with Colleges Week, during which a study done by RDAs and issued by AoC shows that FE colleges are working to support emerging and growth sectors in many regions: including bio-medicine in the North West; digital media and aerospace in the South East; and wind and wave power in the north east.
You can download the National Skills Strategy from the Business, Innovation and Skills website using the following link - http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/skills-for-growth. Click here to view Lord Mandelson’s speech at the AoC Conference
 

Audience: All

The Government today set out how it will invest in the skills training critical to the recovery and long-term success of the UK economy. The Skills Investment Strategy 2010 -11 underpins the priorities announced in the recently published national skills strategy, Skills for Growth.
Total Government investment in further education and skills for 2010-11 will be £4.4 billion.
Investment in training places through the Skills Funding Agency is planned to be over £3.5 billion in 2010-11 , an increase of nearly 3% compared with 2009-10. The investment strategy sets out how to meet the challenges the skills system faces to train people with the higher technical skills required for the key sectors that underwrite our economic growth, which requires a smarter focussing of resources. Following widespread consultation with the sector, the strategy also reflects the changes required to achieve the £340 million of efficiency savings announced as part of the 2009 budget.
Click here to view the document.
 

Audience: All

The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill received Royal Assent on 12 November 2009. It provides the necessary legislation to transform the skills system including:
• provision to dissolve the Learning and Skills Council and transfer responsibility for 14-18 funding to local authorities;
• creating the post of Chief Executive of Skills Funding, who will lead the Skills Funding Agency - a non-statutory Agency of BIS - which will fund post 19 education and training.
• establishes a new Young People’s Learning Agency to support local authorities in their new role;
The Bill is wide ranging and makes provision about apprenticeships, including the issuing of frameworks and certificates; introduces a right for people to apply for time to train; and puts arrangements in place to ensure that the various bodies involved in providing post 16 education share the information needed to carry out their functions.
You can view the press notice by clicking here and details of the Bill’s provisions at Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

Audience: All

BIS has unveiled the new framework for higher education, which was announced by Lord Mandelson in the House of Lords. The publication outlines its strategy for sustaining the strength of higher education in an increasingly demanding and competitive environment.
Higher Ambitions: the future of universities in a knowledge economy sets out a greater role for universities in driving economic recovery and future growth.
It will also ensure access to university for all who can benefit while guaranteeing the quality of teaching. Visit www.bis.gov.uk/policies/higher-ambitions to view the report. (URN 09/1447)

Audience: All

Skills for Growth stressed the importance of shared investment in building the skills required now and in the future, and emphasised the role of colleges and training institutions in collecting the co-funding expected from employers and learners. In order to help take forward this approach, the White Paper announced that a review of the implementation of the fees and co-funding policy in further education was being commissioned. Chris Banks has now agreed to take forward this review which is due to report in 2010. Click here to view the letter from Kevin Brennen