Business and trainers unified to deliver for skills
By TJ (24-10-2007)
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Employers and colleges call on MPs to support a new initiative which for the first time unites the demand and supply sides of education and training.
In a move which seeks to demonstrate a "demand-led" skills policy in action, employers and college principals have formed an alliance through which they can negotiate and deliver workforce training directly, without any intermediaries.
"It brings together employers, through their Sector Skills Councils (SSCs), who can identify and articulate their skill needs, with college Principals who have the expertise to deliver the training to meet those needs," said David Hunter, CEO of Lifelong Learning UK and chair of the skills coalition.
He called on MPs to support the new alliance between the Skills for Business network (SfBn) and the Association of Colleges (AoC) by backing partnership initiatives in their constituencies.
Fourteen new employer/college sector skills groups, each led by a college principal, are being developed as part of the coalition to develop skills training ranging from writing and accrediting new qualifications to the development of Foundation Degrees and Diplomas.
One example of productive partnership is the link between luxury leather-goods company Mulberry, based in the South-West, and Bridgwater College, which resulted in a new apprenticeship qualification specifically designed to meet Mulberry's needs.
Faced with difficulties recruiting new employees with the skills they needed, Mulberry approached Skillfast-UK, the SSC tasked with supporting businesses in the fashion and textiles sector, to help develop the skills of their workforce. All SSCs have powers to create new vocational qualifications or revise existing ones, based on employer needs, and Skillfast-UK set up the partnership with Bridgwater College.
Mark Fisher, Chief Executive of the SSDA, said: "There are many more examples like this which show how SSCs can empower employers and deliver results. They are uniquely placed to understand and identify the needs of employers and the FE colleges are central to meeting their demands."
In a move which seeks to demonstrate a "demand-led" skills policy in action, employers and college principals have formed an alliance through which they can negotiate and deliver workforce training directly, without any intermediaries.
"It brings together employers, through their Sector Skills Councils (SSCs), who can identify and articulate their skill needs, with college Principals who have the expertise to deliver the training to meet those needs," said David Hunter, CEO of Lifelong Learning UK and chair of the skills coalition.
He called on MPs to support the new alliance between the Skills for Business network (SfBn) and the Association of Colleges (AoC) by backing partnership initiatives in their constituencies.
Fourteen new employer/college sector skills groups, each led by a college principal, are being developed as part of the coalition to develop skills training ranging from writing and accrediting new qualifications to the development of Foundation Degrees and Diplomas.
One example of productive partnership is the link between luxury leather-goods company Mulberry, based in the South-West, and Bridgwater College, which resulted in a new apprenticeship qualification specifically designed to meet Mulberry's needs.
Faced with difficulties recruiting new employees with the skills they needed, Mulberry approached Skillfast-UK, the SSC tasked with supporting businesses in the fashion and textiles sector, to help develop the skills of their workforce. All SSCs have powers to create new vocational qualifications or revise existing ones, based on employer needs, and Skillfast-UK set up the partnership with Bridgwater College.
Mark Fisher, Chief Executive of the SSDA, said: "There are many more examples like this which show how SSCs can empower employers and deliver results. They are uniquely placed to understand and identify the needs of employers and the FE colleges are central to meeting their demands."
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