Skills for Sustainable Growth White Paper – November 2010
The Skills for Sustainable Growth strategy sets out the Government’s vision for reform of the further education and skills system in order to improve the skills of the workforce, the performance of the economy and engagement in learning. Key points are set out below.
CHAPTER ONE – SKILLS FOR GROWTH
- Expand numbers of adult Apprenticeships by up to 75,000 by 2014–15
- Level 3 Apprenticeship to become one to which learners and employers aspire
- Provide clear routes from Apprenticeships to higher level training including, Level 4
- Ensure that vocational qualifications reflect the changing needs of employers
- Reduce the reliance of some sectors of our economy on migration to fill jobs
- Support employers with £50 million growth and innovation fund to help address skills needs
- Provide some co-funding for training at Level 2 delivered in SME companies
- Encourage more widespread teaching of entrepreneurial skills
CHAPTER TWO – SKILLS AND A FAIR SOCIETY
- Adults without basic literacy and numeracy to have access to state funded training
- Provide state funding for targeted provision for people on active benefits
- Engage disadvantaged people and create progression routes to move on to formal learning
- Provide grant funded training for young people to help them move from education to work
- Consult on a simplified learner support offer
CHAPTER THREE – A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR SKILLS
- Introduce loans (2013/14) to help people finance intermediate & higher-level qualifications
- Lifelong Learning Accounts for all to bring together funding and learning opportunities info
- Establish an all-age careers service, with intensive support for those with greatest need
- UK Commission for Employment & Skills to advise employers on getting best from workforce
- Support initiatives taken by employers to build modern high-performing workplaces
CHAPTER FOUR – A REFORMED SYSTEM WITH INCREASED FREEDOM
- No imposed top down skills targets
- Streamline the organisational landscape
- Simpler funding system with alignment where appropriate across pre- and post-19 systems
- Remove regulations to free colleges to deliver for their local communities
- Decisive action to tackle unacceptable performance
(Link to the full white paper here)
