Memorandum 7
Submission from the Learning and Skills
Council (LSC)
INTRODUCTION
1. This document is the submission of the
Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to the House of Commons Innovation,
Universities and Skills Select Committee Inquiry: After Leitch:
Implementing Skills and Training Policies.
2. The Committee has posed specific questions
about progress against the Leitch report. This submission summarises
evidence that relates particularly to:
— The role of the Learning and Skills
Council in this context;
— The respective roles of the further
education and higher education sectors in delivering a region-based
agenda for Leitch and their co-ordination with one another.
3. The LSC welcomes the opportunity to report
to the Committee, and would welcome the chance to attend as a
witness to highlight the central role it plays in taking forward
the Leitch ambition and targets. Working with the Department of
Innovation, Universities and Skills, the LSC was involved in the
development of the Leitch implementation plan World Class Skills:
Implementing the Leitch Review of Skills in England published
in July 2007.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4. Raising Expectations: enabling the
system to deliver, recognises that the LSC has been
successful in developing a more coherent and responsive FE system,
with greater consistency between local areas and clearer progression
routes. The LSC also responded to Leitch and the sub-national
review by introducing regional structures and partnership teams
to improve its ability to respond to the economic development
agenda, and the needs of regions and sub-regions.
5. The LSC is a key partner in regional
economic strategies and sub-regional arrangements such as multi
and local area agreements. For example in the North West, the
LSC has been an active partner in the development of a Greater
Manchester approach to employment and skills. The LSC also works
with emerging Employment and Skills Boards, and is actively involved
in the London Skills and Employment Board (LSEB), chaired by the
Mayor of London.
6. The LSC has successfully focussed its
services towards low-skilled individuals, enabling more people
to improve their employment and career prospects as well as boost
their quality of life (see annex 1 for performance information).
7. The LSC is working to ensure that a greater
proportion of its budget is progressively spent on more responsive
and flexible employer-focused training. Sector Skills Councils,
on behalf of employers, advise the LSC on which vocational qualifications
are a priority for public funding—with funds increasingly
focused on tackling low skills to improve employability and progression.
A new communications campaign around the value of skills and fostering
a new culture of learning also began in 2007.
8. Train to Gain, the national service to
support employers of all sizes and in all sectors to improve the
skills of their employees, is a major driver in addressing Lord
Leitch's recommendation for increased investment in skills, UK
economic competitiveness; increased investment by employers, individuals
and the state.
9. World Class Skills signals the
proposed support that will be available to individuals to improve
their skills and progress in work. The focus on a new joined-up
system of support for adults who want to progress in their lives;
whether that be moving from a low-skilled, low-prospects job onto
a new and better career path, or from worklessness into sustained
employment, builds on the work of the LSC.
10. Following the publication of Raising
Expectations: enabling the system to deliver in March 2008,
a consultation is taking place on the transfer of planning and
funding for 14-19 from the LSC to local authorities, along with
proposals for reforming the post-19 landscape. The LSC is actively
developing shadow working arrangements to support the proposed
changes, and continuing to develop demand-led funding arrangements.
Significant work to prepare for the Skills Funding Agency (SFA)
and its constituent services in 2010 is underway.
REGIONAL AGENDA
11. The LSC works with each Regional Development
Agency (RDA) to align and integrate skills with the priorities
set out in the regional economic strategy. In each region, the
LSC publishes a regional commissioning plan, setting out investment
priorities and identifying key sector and occupational skills
priorities and where new and additional provision is required.
Each plan identifies priority groups of learners, and how the
region intends to engage these groups to increase equality of
opportunity and social inclusion.
12. Each LSC region has developed regional
plans to implement the strategy for Train to Gain set out in A
Plan for Growth, detailing local and regional approaches.
Plans to manage smooth transition of brokerage activities from
LSC to RDAs in April 2009 have also been developed.
13. The LSC actively participates at regional
level in a variety of ways to take forward work to support the
achievement of the Leitch ambition. For example, in taking forward
the Regional Minister's priorities for skills, the RDA (Advantage
West Midlands) and the LSC have developed a sub regional Skills
Action Plan (attached at Annex 2). The plan is nested within the
Regional Economic Strategy and delivery framework. Uniquely, Leitch's
priorities sit at the heart of the Skills Plan and the RES priorities.
The plan is led by employers and proposes a streamlined and simplified
approach to skills and employment in the West Midlands. It clarifies
the roles and responsibilities of key partners and stakeholders,
and sets out a broad summary of actions to achieve agreed goals
with annual numerical targets.
14. Launched in March 2008, the plan has
been endorsed and supported by a wide range of partners, notably
by the CBI, regional Chambers of Commerce, and the Local Government
Association.
15. In the North East, collaboration at
regional level is crucial in achieving strategic impact and economies
of scale. The LSC and the RDA have worked together closely at
all levels (from Chief Executives down) across the whole spectrum
of employment and skills issues. Specific examples include the
development of the "People" chapter of the Regional
Economic Strategy, written jointly by RDA and LSC—with the
LSC formally committing to deliver a significant amount of the
activity—and the wider Regional Skills Partnership adopting
this as its overall strategic plan. The RDA and the LSC have joint
procurement and performance management of a fully integrated,
regional skills brokerage service—delivering both the Business
Link and Train to Gain branded brokerage services for the region.
16. Ongoing development and implementation
of the North East's "Regional Employability Framework"
brings to life the concept of Integrated Employment and Skills;
co-ordinating and enhancing the efforts of a wide range of strategic
and delivery partners—led by a group of senior RDA, JCP,
and LSC staff. This work has led to the alignment of LSC and JCP
European Social Fund co-financing plans.
17. The key benefit of this activity is
the development of operating protocols that define the roles and
responsibilities of each key partner, in the context of the sub
national review including the enhanced role of local authorities
around economic development and worklessness. We are systematically
tackling barriers to employment through a comprehensive, system-wide
approach that brings a more coherent offer to the employer and
individual. This approach binds together all services at neighbourhood
level, including health, housing, transport and childcare to address
skills and personal barriers to employment.
KEY NATIONAL
PROGRESS TOWARDS
ACHIEVING OUR
WORLD CLASS
SKILLS AMBITION
18. The LSC has made considerable progress
to raising achievements to the levels we need to secure the Leitch
ambition—progress against key LSC targets is outlined in
Annex 1. We expect to achieve the 2010 target of 2.25m for skills
for life achievements at least two years early. The 41.6% increase
in participation by adults (aged 19 or over) on full level 2 programmes
between 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 to 470,400 is fundamental to the
strategy for delivering the level 2 element of the adult skills
PSA target.
19. The LSC's latest statement of priorities
Better skills, Better jobs, Better lives sets out our plans
to meet ambitious new Government targets for learning and skills
and where we will invest our £11.5 billion of funds in 2008-09.
Through the Train to Gain service we have an opportunity to get
more people qualified to levels 2 and 3 (and increasingly level
4). To engage more people in learning (including learning below
level 2), over £1 billion a year of public funding supports
a range of learning opportunities, including Foundation Learning
Tier, Skills for Life and personal and community development learning.
Train to Gain
20. Train to Gain is the national service
to support employers of all sizes and in all sectors to improve
the skills of their employees as a route to improving business
performance. Train to Gain: A Plan for Growth (November
2007), details how the responsiveness of Train to Gain to employers'
needs will be improved for Train to Gain to play its part in delivering
the skills trajectories set out in World Class Skills.
21. The plan details the actions and investments
that are required to meet the challenging targets for Train to
Gain to play its part in delivering the skills trajectories set
out in World Class Skills. The plan projects the numbers
of employers and individuals it aims to help up-skill, an estimated
increase from around 242,000 learners in 2006-2007 to 786,000
in 2010-2011.
22. Enhancing skills not only boosts competitiveness,
productivity and profitability, it also greatly enhances the career
and salary prospects of individuals. From the low skilled to the
highly skilled, Train to Gain aims to help employees improve their
employability, career and skills progression. Train to Gain has
had a significant impact in the workplace since it commenced in
April 2006, and is transforming the way that Government and providers
support employers. Current activity in 2007-2008 (data between
August 2007—January 2008), has seen 22,810 employers engaging
with brokers resulting in 128,000 learner starts. In its first
full year of operation, 2006-2007, over 52,000 employers were
engaged by brokers, involving around 240,000 employees into training
activities.
23. A Plan for Growth focuses upon
the need to expand and measure the success of Train to Gain. It
involves working with partners at national and regional level
to consider the best way to improve performance measurement, looking
at other indicators such as productivity, tackling disadvantage
in particular groups and other economic and social factors. New
measures and flexibilities include broadening out skills brokerage
to cover all sizes of employer, and flexibilities for people recruited
through a Local Employment Partnership (LEP). Train to Gain will
have increased flexibility to train people from priority groups
who obtain employment through LEPs.
Skills Pledge
24. The Skills Pledge, launched by Gordon
Brown in June 2006, is a public commitment by employers to invest
in the skills of their employees. The LSC promotes the Skills
Pledge, which is now positioned within "Our Future it's
in Our Hands" branding. The Skills Pledge is relevant
to all employers, regardless of size or skills needs, and aims
to increase employers' interest and demand for developing the
skills of their lowest qualified employees.
25. At the end of February 2008, the number
of employers making the Skills Pledge was 2,130, and is increasing
steadily each month. There are now 3.3 million employees working
in organisations who have made a commitment to the Skills Pledge.
The top three performing sectors are Construction Skills, Skills
for Care and Development, and Lifelong Learning. The LSC also
continues to work with other Sector Skills Councils, and through
our Sector Compact arrangements we are expecting SSCs to support
a minimum of fifty of their most influential employers annually
to make the Skills Pledge.
Sector Qualification Strategies
26. Employers, via Sector Skills Councils
(SSCs), have a lead role in reforming vocational qualifications
for their sector. The Sector Qualification Strategy (SQS) from
autumn 2008 will set out the "fit for purpose" skills
and qualifications in a specific sector, as identified by employers
(via SSCs). The SQS is therefore a key source of information to
the LSC in identifying the courses that should be supported by
public funding. The SQS Action Plans will provide a sufficient
level of detail to allow the LSC to focus funding where it can
make most difference to employability and productivity.
Integration of Employment and Skills
27. A framework of stronger partnership
working, performance management and targets for JCP, the LSC and
a new adult advancement and careers service (aacs) is developing
in response to World Class Skills, and the subsequent DIUS
and DWP report Opportunity, Employment and Progression: making
skills work (November 2007). Aspects of the new "careers
service," envisaged by Leitch includes joined up advice services
and a new skills health check, will start to be delivered from
2008-2009. LSC has positioned the careers service as a gateway
to skills accounts and as a building block for the integrated
employment and skills service, which will also be trialled from
2008-2009. The new advancement service for adults will have the
potential to help every adult progress in learning and work.
28. Individuals will have greater ownership
and choice over their training, through Skills Accounts, backed
by joined-up services providing information and advice on jobs,
skills and training. Our vision is that every individual who
receives publicly funded vocational provision—whether that
be via college, through JCP, via an Apprenticeship or through
Train to Gain will have a Skills Account to support their ongoing
progression over a lifetime. We are designing and testing a high
quality Skills Account product and supporting systems through
trials in 2008-09 and 2009-2010 to inform the national roll-out
of skills accounts from 2010.
Joint Working with Jobcentre Plus
29. Considerable progress has been made
in joint working between LSC and Jobcentre Plus (JCP). JCP and
LSC are now fully involved in each other's internal project management
arrangements for the forthcoming Integrated Employment and Skills
trials and Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs). (LEPs are the
key activity for JCP in engaging employers to recruit from their
priority customer groups).
30. The LSC's flexible and responsive pre-employment
provision Skills for Jobs has been rolled out across the country,
providing pre employment provision for JCP priority groups, including
those recruited through LEPs. LSC provision is the primary source
of pre-employment training required by employers. This area of
provision will be further supported by up to £195m of European
Social Fund monies in the period 2008-2010.
31. The LSC has rolled out its employability
skills programme (literacy, numeracy and vocational skills) across
the country, enabling more JCP customers to access tailored basic
and employability skills provision, including enhanced information,
advice and guidance.
Apprenticeships
32. World-class Apprenticeships, unlocking
talent, building skills for all published in January 2008
is central to the Government's response to Leitch on skills and
was launched as part of the Government's skills and welfare reform
programmes. The report articulated the need for a National Apprenticeship
service (NAS).
33. The NAS has clear economic and social
benefit goals which will help the country to compete successfully
in the global skills race and to ensure that more people have
the broad base of skills needed to get in and on at work. World-class
Apprenticeships fundamentally re-positions Apprenticeships
as a major learning route way for young people and for employers
wanting to recruit and up skill their workforce. The NAS, its
delivery partners and stakeholders have a massive task to stimulate
a culture shift in the attitudes of employers, young people and
adults and their advisers towards Apprenticeships as a key part
of in-work training and development.
34. The LSC grown the Apprenticeship Programme
considerably, introducing 5,000 Adult Apprenticeship places, due
to increase to 8,000. Also many more young people complete their
training successfully, with an increase in completion rates to
63% of those starting. The LSC's National Employer Service has
continued to grow apprenticeship programmes, with approximately
22,500 starts in 2007-2008, an increase of just over 9% over the
previous year.
35. A new national Apprenticeship vacancy
matching service will be trialled in three test bed regions from
October 2008, following a series of developmental pilots. This
service will ensure easy access to Apprenticeship vacancy details
for young people and adults; provide a free vacancy service to
employers wanting an Apprentice; and enable the NAS to monitor
and support the successful use of the system by both employers
and individuals.
THE ROLE
OF THE
FE SECTOR AND
CO-ORDINATION
BETWEEN HE AND
FE
36. A comprehensive programme of FE reform
and the move towards a demand-led approach for adults and the
system change proposals set out in Raising Expectations: enabling
the system to deliver will ensure that FE is able to deliver
the Leitch agenda. The FE sector has improved performance successfully
over the last decade, demonstrated by positive inspection ratings
and increasing success rates in the standard of management and
leadership, and teaching and learning.
37. The FE and HE sectors share a common
goal of helping young people and adults to develop the skills
needed for employment. An increase in joint working between FE
and HE is demonstrated by the high level of HE delivered by FE
colleges. The LSC's Higher Education strategy Partnership,
Provision, Participation and Progression published in 2006
contains a clear commitment to HE in the FE sector and to collaboration
between HE and FE institutions, recognising the sector's unique
position with regard to HE, in preparing individuals to progress
to HE and HE delivery in FE.
38. We believe that FE and HE collaboration
can be further developed, for example, through a clear and collaborative
focus on employment related higher level skills including Foundation
Degrees, with the joint capacity to stimulate demand and growth
at level 4.
39. We have begun discussions with HEFCE
and UCAS about extending the availability of Higher Apprenticeships
at Level 4 and attributing tariff points to Apprenticeships for
entry to HE.
40. We are exploring new approaches to collaboration—in
National Skills Academies, through FE colleges and HE institutions
working together to become recognised awarding organisations in
the QCF; through collaboration in the delivery of the new Diplomas,
through credit accumulation and transfer across the sectors.
April 2008
Annex 1
Targets and Impact
1. PARTICIPATION
IN FULL-TIME
EDUCATION AMONGST
16-18 YEAR OLDS
1.1 Participation of 16-18 year olds in
education or training at the end of 2006 reached 77.3% of the
age cohort, an increase of 0.5 percentage points on the previous
year.
1.2 This represents 1.55 million young people
in education or training and is the highest level ever recorded.
61.1% (1,223,000) of 16 to 18 year olds are in full time education,
the remaining 16.2% (324,000) of young people are in other education
or training.
1.3 Early information relating to 2007-08
indicates that growth in young people's participation is being
maintained. Based on the number of learners in learning on 1 October
2007 the number of learners aged under 19 has increased by 2.5%
to 852,400.
Young peoples participation as at October 2006
/ October 2007
| Age | Type of programme
| 2006-07 | 2007-08
| % change 2006-07 |
| Under 19 | Total learners |
831,200 | 852,400 | 2.5%
|
| of which is Full level 2
| 231,100 | 234,700 | 1.5%
|
| of which is Full level 3
| 319,700 | 339,000 | 6.0%
|
2. NUMBER OF
ADULTS QUALIFIED
TO AT
LEAST LEVEL
1 LITERACY, AND
TO AT
LEAST ENTRY
LEVEL 3 NUMERACY
2.1 The latest information confirmed with Ministers (October
2006) shows that the 2007 milestone of 1.5 million adults with
improved skills had been exceeded one year early. Confirmed figures
for the end of July 2006 show that 1.76 million adults actually
achieved qualifications that count towards the target.
2.2 Latest available information shows that we expect
to exceeded the 2010 target at least two years early. Indicative
figures to July 2007 (shown in sky blue below) show that 2.294
million adults have achieved a Skills for Life qualification since
2001. Using final year data, it is forecast that this will rise
to 2.296 million.
2.3 Before we can confirm meeting this target, thorough
checks on Skills for Life Achievement data for repeat learners
will need to be completed. Detailed analysis, commissioned by
DIUS looking at each year since the start of the target and up
to and including 2007-08 is due for completion by the end of May.
Following this we should be in a position to publish robust data,
and to measure accurately progress towards the 2010 target.
2.4 It is too early to measure our progress against the
new PSA targets, to ensure 597,000 people of working age achieve
a first level 1 or above literacy qualification and 390,000 to
achieve a first entry level 3 or above numeracy qualification.
In 2007-08 we are planning to deliver 222,100 literacy and 85,900
numeracy achievements.
LSC funded Learners | 2005-06
| 2006-07 (provisional) | 2007-08 (planned)
|
Learners achieving first L1 Literacy |
181,400 | 217,900 | 222,100
|
| Learners achieving first entry level 3 Numeracy
| 71,300 | 83,000 | 85,900
|
2.5 In the LSC's statement of priorities, Better skills,
Better jobs, Better lives the LSC expects its providers to
assess the numeracy skills of all their literacy and language
learners, and to offer appropriate provision if necessary. The
LSC is also working with DIUS to develop a numeracy plan to help
raise the profile of numeracy skills, to increase learner numbers
and to ensure there are appropriate levels of qualified numeracy
teachers.
2.6 Recent developments include a numeracy marketing
campaign launched by the LSC on 17 March 2008. The first phase
has received positive publicity and a very good response rate.
The campaign has generated over 24,000 confirmed responses so
far, with around 10,000 calls coming through the Learndirect helpline
and almost 14,000 coming via the website. This is in excess of
the responses generated by the most recent "gremlins"
campaign and is also higher than the responses to the initial
skills campaign adverts in July 2007.
3. ADULTS QUALIFIED
TO AT
LEAST FIRST
FULL LEVEL
2
3.1 There has been a 41.6% increase in the number of
adults (aged 19 or over) on full level 2 programmes to 470,400
between 2005-06 and 2006-07. This increase in participation is
a fundamental part of the strategy for delivering the level 2
element of the adult skills PSA target.
| Age | Type of programme
| 2006-07 | 2007-08
| % change
2006-07 |
| 19 plus | Full level 2 |
332,300 | 470,400 | 41.6%
|
3.2 The latest PSA agreements include new targets for
Levels 2 and 3 based on the population aged 19 to 59 for women
and 19 to 64 for men designed around the Leitch ambitions for
2020. 70.6 percent of all working age adults have a qualification
at Level 2 or above, equating to 20.3 million people from a population
of 28.8 million. There has been an increase of 5.7% since 2001.
The PSA target is 79% by 2011.
3.3 The Quarter 4 figure for 2007 is approximately 200,000
lower than the planned trajectory to reach the 2010 target. The
LSC is continuing to build upon the Level 2 action plan agreed
with DIUS to ensure we focus on actions to drive up performance
to levels needed to meet the target. This work has included a
specific focus on achieving higher levels of adults undertaking
Level 2 for the first time. Other work includes ensuring under-performing
colleges and providers falling short of meeting target numbers
will have their allocations reviewed for 2008-09 to ensure funding
continues to be directed at those that are able to deliver.
4. ADULTS QUALIFIED
TO AT
LEAST FIRST
FULL LEVEL
3
4.1 50.5 percent of people aged 19-59/642 have a qualification
at level 3 or higher—an increase of 5.8 percentage points
since 2001
Adult participation as at October 2006 / October 2007
| Age | Type of programme |
2006-07 | 2007-08 | % change
2006-07
|
| 19 plus | Full level 3 |
235,800 | 242,100 | 2.7%
|
4.2 Early data from 2007-08 indicates there has been
a 2.7% increase in the number of learners participating on full
level 3 courses compared to 2006-07.
5. ADULTS QUALIFIED
TO LEVEL
4 AND ABOVE
5.1 30.8 percent of all adults aged 19-59/642 have a
qualification at level 4 or higher. This represents an increase
of 5.6 percentage points since 2001 (25.2 to 30.8 percent), equivalent
to around 1.8 million more people having Higher Education (HE)
level qualifications than in 2001.
Notes:
1 Economically active adults are defined as males aged
18-64 and females aged 18-59 who are either in employment or ILO
definition unemployed.
2 Males aged 19-64 and females aged 19-59
Annex 2
West Midlands Regional Skills Action Plan
(see http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/WestMidlands/nat-skillsactionplan-mar08.pdf)
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