Sector Skills Councils

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are independent, UK wide organisations developed by groups of influential employers in industry or business sectors of economic or strategic significance. SSCs are employer-led and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholder in the sector. SSCs are licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, in consultation with Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to tackle the skills and productivity needs of their sector throughout the UK.

SSCs give responsibility to employers to provide leadership for strategic action to meet their sector's skills and business needs. In return they receive substantial public investment and greater dialogue with government departments across the UK. This will enable sector employers to have a far greater impact on policies affecting skills and productivity, and increased influence with education and training partners.

Each SSC agrees sector priorities and targets with its employers and partners to address four key goals:

• Reducing skills gaps and shortages
• Improving productivity, business and public service performance
• Increasing opportunities to boost the skills and productivity of everyone in the sector's workforce, including action on equal opportunities
• Improving learning supply, including apprenticeships, higher education and national occupational standards

SSASCOT

With reference to workforce development the most relivant area of Ssacot is the Education and training forum. The objective of the SSAScot Education and Training Forum is to facilitate the interface between Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) and the education and training sector in Scotland by:

• Raising awareness of - and clarifying - the roles of SSCs and key partners
• Highlighting key skills initiatives and developments
• Exploring ways in which SSCs can engage more effectively with further and higher education.

 

Scottish Training Federation

Working on behalf of members the Scottish Training Federation represents a wide variety of training organisations, negotiating with government departments such as Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Qualification Authority, SCONTO, Careers Scotland and SQMS amongst others, in providing guidance on national policy on education and training matters.

 

Members' views on training are represented to the policy makers when new initiatives are being planned. The strength of S.T.F. lies in the banding together of learning providers. Links are also developed with other national training organisations for the mutual benefit of each.

 

Modern Apprenticeship Implementation Group

The Modern Apprenticeship Implementation Group (MAIG) is the key Group for MAs in Scotland. Its main role is to authorise all new and revised Frameworks. It seeks to monitor the effectiveness of the MA programme in Scotland, promote best practice, and provide information to assist in policy development.

MAIG undertakes the following activities:

1. Approval and re-approval of Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Framework documents
2. Ongoing review of the approval process to ensure that it is effective and meets the needs of stakeholders
3. Statistical analysis of Framework take-up to monitor and review performance of individual sectors
4. Overseeing the generic marketing thrust of the MA programme in Scotland
5. Promotion of best practice through specific projects

Only MAIG approved Frameworks qualify for LEC funding. All changes to Frameworks must be approved by MAIG.

STUC

The STUC Lifelong Learning Unit works with unions, employers, government and a range of other bodies to help unions give workers access to training and development opportunities.

They are currently proposing a Scottish Skills Academy. Funding is also available through the Scottish Union Learning Fund which is available to union members and unionised businesses. They have appointed learning champions to administer this process.

Scottish Enterprise

The involvement of Scottish Enterprise in the area of Workforce Development is wide reaching. We will cover each of these in turn.

• Careers Scotland
• SEL
• Business Gateway
• Future Skills Scotland

 

Careers Scotland

Careers Scotland delivers an integrated range of high quality guidance services, information resources, learning experiences and employability services. It is a national service aimed at enabling people of all ages and maximising their career potential.

One of its key aims is improving productivity through personal career planning by securing the best fit between individual's aspirations and changing labour market conditions.

This is achieved through the following

• Make it easy for people to access career planning support on line, over the phone, in CS Centres or in partner/business premises on a self help or administered basis
• Capacity building support to enable other community based organisations/ businesses to offer guidance to an appropriate level
• Referral arrangements with other organisations e.g. local authorities, jobcentre plus, Learndirect etc
• CS staff resources targeting people who demonstrate a need for expert career planning support. This involves priority groups such as those facing redundancy or people in work who need upskilling.

 

SEL

• Learning and Skills
• Business Development

 

Learning and Skills

Modern Apprenticeships

Modern Apprenticeships are:

• a way of gaining workbased and knowledge input to industry standard skills and qualifications that will help launch an individual's career without having to study full-time. They are available across a wide range of industries including engineering, administration, financial services and tourism.
• an opportunity to develop vital workplace skills, gain a recognised qualification and experience the reality of being an employee – all while earning a wage.
• guaranteed training to a standard Moderen Apprenticship Framework( the standards and content are determined by the Sector Skills Council)

On completion of a Modern Apprenticeship a certificate is awarded to show the trainee is qualified in their particular industry.

 

Skillseekers

Skillseekers is a Scotland-wide initiative focusing on people developing and achieving competence in valuable work-based skills.

Skillseekers is targeted at school leavers, and young people aged 16-24 entering the labour market, but can cover all age groups undertaking Modern Apprenticeships (MA's). Young people can be recruited as an employee, and still benefit from being offered training through Skillseekers, with Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire contributing to the cost of an SVQ or other agreed recognised qualification. They can also be taken on as a trainee under the initiative, with the employer paying a placement fee and the Skillseeker receiving a training allowance. Again, SEL will pay a contribution towards the cost of training leading towards an SVQ or equivalent.

 

Training for Work

Not strictly a workforce development programme, Training for Work is open to adults who have reached the age of 25 (JSA only) and who have been unemployed for at least 6 months within the previous 52 weeks.

Training for Work offers the opportunity for work experience and qualifications based on identified job opportunities. The programme helps clients to sustain employment (including self employment). Participants are referred by Jobcentre Plus and receive a training premium. Those participants who are employed whilst on the programme will be paid a rate for the job.

The training is delivered through a network of local training suppliers. Local companies can benefit from the programme through offering a paid employment to potential new employees. The placement gives the trainee the chance they need to practice and test their skills in a commercial environment. The company benefits from the work done on placement and has a chance to get to know the trainee, often with a view to offering them a permanent job.

Clients will receive customised Training Plans which will include vocational skills training, work experience and support whilst job seeking. This combination is flexible in that it allows provision for all clients, where training can range from foundation level to managerial level depending on an individual's background and work history.

 

 

Business Development

• Business Learning Account Pilots
• Emerging Executive Programme
• Individual Company Projects

• Lean Management Thinking
• Investors in People Support Programme

• Workforce Development - Flexible Financial Product
• Flexible Intervention Framework criteria:

 

Business Learning Accounts Pilot

This pilot project encourage small companies to invest in their workforce

Targets: Companies within the Manufacturing and Tourism sector. Only targeting 75 companies per pilot throughout lowland Scotland (equates to approx 6 companies in Lanarkshire per pilot).

Timeframe: November 2003 till August 2005

Eligibility criteria: must fall within sectors above, employ less than 50 people, not already investing significant amounts in training.

Model: Delivery of TNA - prioritization of training needs - research appropriate providers, costs, and other funding mechanisms (signpost if appropriate) - access BLA money (£7,500 Manufacturing and £3,500 Tourism)

Note: Uses TNA tool developed by SEL from our Joint Workforce Development project with Sufi.

 

Emerging Executive Programme

The aim of the programme is to develop a cadre of highly motivated and committed managers in each of the participating companies. It will enable participants to implement appropriate leadership strategies within their teams.

Growing Business Characteristics

• Visionary Leadership
• Ability to manage change
• Commitment to continuous improvement
• Innovation
• Strategic thinker

Targets

• Number of businesses executing business development plans associated with the Growing Business characteristics.
• Number of businesses showing demonstrable improvement against the Growing Business characteristics.

Assistance

Assistance for the programme is up to a maximum of 50% of the total cost of the programme. The contribution could be reduced if there was more than one application from the same organisation.

Eligibility

Applicants for the programme will require to be operating at a level recognised as the next generation of leaders within an organisation for example Manager level.

Duration

The programme is delivered over one year and includes:

• 8 three day seminars
• 3 one day seminars
• 2 mini projects focused on personal development and world class performance

 

Individual Company Projects

The aim of the project is to provide bespoke leadership development which will assist in the creation of strategic action plans and changes in culture to support growing businesses.

Growing Business Characteristics

• Visionary Leadership
• Ability to manage change
• Commitment to continuous improvement
• Innovation
• Strategic thinker

Targets

• Number of businesses executing business development plans associated with the Growing Business characteristics.
• Number of businesses showing demonstrable improvement against the Growing Business characteristics

Assistance

Assistance for the individual projects is up to a maximum of 50% of the total cost of the project. The contribution could be reduced dependent on previous financial support to the company.

Eligibility

Growing Businesses throughout Lanarkshire who can demonstrate the positive outcomes as a result of the customised training

Duration

The length of the project will be dictated by the individual training requirements of the company

Lean Management Thinking

The aim of this network product is to equip companies with the tools needed to significantly increase productivity and improve skills levels so other Scottish businesses close the productivity gap with other leading nations.

Growing Business Characteristics

• Commitment to continuous improvement
• Ability to manage change
• Innovation

Targets

• Number of businesses executing business development plans associated with the Growing Business characteristics.
• Number of businesses showing demonstrable improvement against the Growing Business characteristics.

Eligibility

Participants are required to be of Service Management level / Team Leaders and Operative Level

Duration

The programme lasts approximately 5 months – this is dependent on the participating company and is delivered through a series of one day modules.

 

Investors in People Support Programme

The Investors in People Standard is a business improvement tool designed to advance an organisation’s performance through its people. It provides a flexible framework, which any organisation can adapt for its own requirements. It mirrors the business planning cycle (plan, do, review) making it clear for organisations to follow and implement in their own planning cycle.

The framework involves:

• Plan – developing strategies to improve the performance of the organisation
• Do – taking action to improve the performance of the organisation
• Review – evaluating the impact on the performance of the organisation.

 

Workforce Development - Flexible Financial Product

This product should be used for creating further impact, scale additionallity and capacity in competent companies, generally Growth companies both Account and Client Managed. The flexible intervention will also be available to other clients provided that robust appraisal has been undertaken and local management approval secured.

 

Flexible Intervention Framework criteria:

WD products must be allocated to relationship managed clients where the product is appropriate to tackle a development need identified as part of an Account Development Plan (or Action Plan) which has been based on information derived from the use of diagnostic tools. Typical involvement will be: Strategic review of Workforce/Management structure, Human Resource practices and Benchmarking.

The use of the IIP diagnostic tool may provide an appropriate model for carrying out a strategic review where this is required over and above the diagnostics used within the Account/Client managed process. In addition the following may be carried out: TNA of Management Team, Board or Whole Company.

Typical support is limited to 50% maximum contribution to eligible costs.