Adult Learning and Skills Minister Ivan Lewis has pledged that employes will get more control over moves to tackle skill shortages in their sectors, as part of the further expansion of Sector Skills Councils. Mr Lewis also praised the leadership shown by employers spearheading the five trailblazer Sector Skills Councils set up so far.
Education and Skills Secretary Estelle Morris has announced new steps to improve the quality of management and leadership across the UK economy. These include the setting up of an advisory panel of public and private sector leaders and Ministers to build upon the recommendations set out in a report by the Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership (CEML) earlier this year.
Speaking at the opening of the new UK office of the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) on the site of a former coal mining area in the Dearne Valley, South Yorkshire, Ivan Lewis said: "Sector Skills Councils represent a radical way forward by putting employers in the driving seat when it comes to enhancing skills in their sector. We are now inviting employers to form councils to lead action which will receive more investment and backing from Government than ever before.
"As a nation we face a significant skills challenge and a strong sector network is a key weapon in our fight to overcome it. Skills shortages lead to a loss of business, delays in developing new products, and lower levels of customer service - all of which hold business back."
The Government has also published its response to the final report of the Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership (CEML) today. The Government strategy, at the centre of the response, is to raise awareness of, and increase the demand for, the benefits of improved management and leadership skills among business leaders and organisations.
Estelle Morris said: "Around 4.5 million individuals in the UK have significant management responsibilities yet many businesses say their managers lack the skills and qualifications to lead their workforces effectively. We have to tackle this problem head on so that business and public services can continually raise their game - crucial to improving productivity.
"We will now take forward the recommendations from the Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership to improve these skills across the board through an advisory panel of business leaders and Ministers. Our focus in taking forward this work will be to stimulate demand, improve supply and secure effective delivery of management and leadership skills."
TrainingZONE says There are some familiar issues here. But do training managers really feel that they have any say in improving skills provision? What would convince you? And what is wrong with leadership in the UK, and how do we fix it? Is there any agreement about how to promote best practice in management?
What do you think about these issues? Post any comments below, or if you want to share an opinion at greater length, email us!
