Memorandum submitted by Energy and Unity
Skills
MEMORANDUM
1. EU Skills is the Sector Skills Council
that works with employers in the Gas. Water, Power and Waste Management
sectors and employs 536,000. EUSkills works through strategic
industry groups that provide intelligence and employer leadership
to drive action on key industry issues. EUSkills has recently
been relicensed by the UKCES and as part of the relicensing process
EUSkills was deemed as Outstanding by the National Audit Office.
Our mission is to ensure that our industries have the skills they
need now and in the future.
2. EU Skills is a strategic body that operates
across the UK, working with a range of partners including trade
associations and trade unions, in and in collaboration with our
fellow Sector Skills Councils on areas of common interest and
with the nine Regional Development Agencies.
3. The current proposals for revised skills
funding processes based on a regional agenda run contrary to the
requirements of many of our employers who operate both national
and international companies. Our employers make a significant
contribution to the UK Economy and provide vital services which
our society depend upon on 24/7 basis, this has not been
in the past reflected in the priority areas given by regional
and national funding agencies. Consequently our employers and
their employees have failed to benefit from previous initiatives
as the numbers of learners within each company within each region
does not meet with the regional priorities. We would wish to see
established a funding mechanism that is not solely driven by the
regional agenda but allows for funding on a national basis to
support significant sectors that contribute to the wellbeing of
the UK economy
4. Our employers in many instances have
been very supportive of previous government initiatives such as
National Skills Academies and Apprenticeship programmes. However
our employers have met with increasing frustration in attempting
to draw down funding to support initiatives which are fully in
line with the government skills strategy. Additionally our employers
have met with increasing difficulties by the current "Train
2 Gain" processes and would wish to witness significant
improvements so that the best value is driven into the skills
funding system for both employers and government alike.
5. Our employers in many instances have
invested significant funds in the development of their staff and
as such are in principle supportive of the future initiatives
such as the Joint Investment Scheme (JIS). We believe that this
provides a real opportunity to create a fully demand led FE funding
mechanism which would embrace training provision in both the public
and private sectors.
6. We believe a successful JIS would have
the following feature:
— RDAs leading delivery (through SFA) etc.
of the key areas of our employers skills needs.
— Employers would be in the driving seat
because:
— They would be paying half the costs.
— They would have nationally set the priority.
— Delivery would be through NSAP or EUSkills
approved suppliers.
— Skills development would lead to new
jobs particularly in the low carbon and sustainability sectors.
— The JIS would run for a number of years.
— Although piloting regions in the first
instance we believe would eventually work across the whole country.
— EUSkills/National Skills Academy for
Power would facilitate future national/regional funding structures.
7. We would welcome the opportunity to present
our views to the Select Committee particularly on future funding
mechanisms that would exist in the future Joint Investments Schemes.
11 January 2010
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