The Leitch Review and ‘World Class Skills’ The Government commissioned Lord Sandy Leitch to undertake an independent review of the UK's long term skills needs. The ‘Leitch Review of Skills in England’ of 2006 stated that the UK must urgently raise achievements at all levels of skills and commit to becoming a world leader in skills by 2020, benchmarked against the upper quartile of the OECD. This would mean doubling attainment at most levels.
In July 2007, the Government unveiled ‘World Class Skills: Implementing the Leitch Review of Skills in England’, its response to the review. The new plan set out how Government will lead the country into a skills ‘revolution’ by 2020, and create new opportunities for citizens and business:
- Supporting individuals to improve their skills and progress in work through Train to Gain and the Skills Account
- Enabling employers to lead the way on skills through Sector Skills Councils and National Skills Academies.
- Creating new partnership for the workplace through ‘Skills Pledge’ – part of Train to Gain
- Equipping young people with the skills they need for work through the reform of 14-19 education, including Diplomas and Apprentices
Welfare Reform Bill
The Welfare Reform Bill, announced in December 2008, aims to simplify the benefits system including the abolition of Income Support and the transition of all customers onto either Jobseekers’ Allowance or Employment & Support Allowance in return for job-related activity. The Bills aims to:
- Achieve the goal of an employment rate equivalent to 80 per cent of the working age population – the highest of any major industrialised country Reduce the number of incapacity benefit claimants by 1 million
- Help 300,000 more lone parents and 1 million more older people into work
- Provide equality for disabled people by 2025
From 2010, over 18s who choose not to go to university will have access to a Skills Account of up to £7,000 for vocational training. The Skills Pledge will encourage employers to make a commitment to investing in staff training.
Children, Learning and Skills Bill
This new legislation, also announced in December 2008, aims to drive up school standards and introduce a demand-led adult skills system. The Bill will:
• provide new powers to strengthen Children’s Trusts;
• improve local services for children and parents;
• strengthen confidence in qualifications by legislating to establish Qfqual;
• provide a right to those in work to request time for training;
• establish the Skills Funding Agency which will take over responsibility - in 2010 - for adult skills funding from the Learning and Skill Council;
• establish the National Apprenticeship Service to administer the expanded apprenticeship programme
The education and skills funding system will be overhauled, meaning the dissolution of the Learning and Skills Council. Responsibility for funding of 16 and 19 learning will be transferred to local authorities so that they become the singe point of accountability for 0-19 services from 2010/11. They will be supported by a new Young People’s Learning Agency.