Annex: Government policy papers between
July 2007 and September 2008
Following the publication of Lord Leitch's review
in December 2006, the Government set out detailed plans for implementing
the recommendations and realising the world class skills ambition
set in World Class Skills: Implementing the Leitch Review of Skills
in England, published in July 2007. Since the publication of World
Class Skills, further detailed plans have been put in place through
a number of important documents:
- Adult Learning and Skills—investing
in the first steps,
published in November 2007 alongside the LSC's Statement of Priorities
and Grant Letter, set out on how, "with our partners, we
can accomplish our ambitions to deliver economic prosperity, social
justice and stronger communities."
- Opportunity, Employment and Progression: Making
skills work, published in November 2007
(Cm 7288), put forward further detailed plans to support the integration
of employment and skills services.
- Train to Gain: A Plan for Growth,
published in November 2007, set out how Government would build
on the experience of Train to Gain's first full year of national
operation, to continue to expand and improve the service to help
employers identify and address their skills needs.
- Raising Expectations: Staying in education
and training post-16—from policy to legislation,
published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families
in November 2007 announced detailed proposals for raising the
participation age to 18, following a consultation, and identified
which aspects would require legislation, ahead of the introduction
of the Education and Skills Bill to Parliament.
- Informal Adult
Learning—Shaping the Way Ahead, was published in January
2008. This consultation "starts a discussion that will lead
to a new vision for informal adult learning for the 21st century."
- World Class Apprenticeships, unlocking talent,
building skills for all: The Government's
strategy for the future of Apprenticeships in England, published
in January 2008 set out the Government's plans for reforming and
expanding the Apprenticeships service.
- Focussing English for Speakers of Other Languages
(ESOL) on Community Cohesion, published
in January 2008, initiated a consultation on plans to align ESOL
funding allocations with community need and national priorities,
drawing on available evidence of low community cohesion
- Ready to Work, Skilled For Work: Unlocking
Britain's Talent, published in January
2008, described how the Government wants to work with employers
to support them in tackling their recruitment and skills challenges.
- An analytical discussion paper: Life Chances:
supporting people to get on in the labour market, was published
in March 2008 to stimulate a debate on how best to support adults
to develop their skills, find and progress in work.
- Raising Expectations, enabling the system
to deliver, published in March 2008 (Cm
7348), initiated a consultation on the transfer of planning and
funding responsibilities for 16-19 year olds from the Learning
and Skills Council to Local Authorities, and proposals for reforming
the post-19 skills landscape.
- Higher Education at Work: High Skills—High
Value, published in April 2008, initiated
a consultation that sought views from employers, students, colleges
and universities on how to raise the skills of those already in
work and also ensure graduates are equipped with the knowledge
and abilities that businesses need to compete globally.
- Work Skills (Cm 7415)
published in June 2008 took forward the integration of welfare
services and skills to unlock talent and built on Opportunity,
Employment and Progression and Ready for Work, Skilled
for Work.
- Time to Train: consulting on a new right to
request time to train for employees in England was
issued in June 2008, initiating a consultation from June to September
2008 on proposals to give employees in England a right to "a
serious conversation with their employer about their skills development."
- Raising Expectations:
enabling the system to deliver—update and next steps
published in July 2008, lays out the next steps following
the consultation on the machinery of government changes.
- Draft Apprenticeships Bill
joint consultation with DCSF from July to October 2008 sought
views on the Bill's provision to establish a statutory basis for
the Apprenticeships programme.
- The Manufacturing Strategy New Challenges,
New Opportunities was published jointly with BERR in September
2008. It brings forward a "refreshed" manufacturing
strategy and sets out support for Innovation, Research and Development
and access to skills support in manufacturing firms, particularly
in Apprenticeships.
|
