SECTOR SKILLS AGREEMENTSThe national position

MARTIN McMANUS

SECTOR SKILLS AGREEMENTS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

SECTOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

19 OCTOBER 2005

THE VISION

Sector Skills Agreements are the means by which each sector is able to secure the range and level of skills needed to achieve productivity at internationally competitive levels

WHO IS THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN?

Employers, employees and the SSC

Setting out the sector’s skills requirements and what they will contribute

SSCs (on behalf of their employers) partners and Government

To guarantee support for the proposals contained in Sector Skills Agreements

To ensure required resources are available for effective delivery

SSA TIMELINE

4 Pathfinders completed development June 2005

6 2nd tranche by Summer 2006

6 by December 2006

5 by Summer 2007

Remainder of network by March 2008

www.ssda.org.uk/ssa

THE PROCESSTiming Phase Lead

6 months

3 months

2 months

1 Assessment of current and future skill needs.

SSC lead, input from SSDA & delivery partners

2 Assessment of the effectiveness of current workforce development activity in meeting the requirements identified through the sectoral needs analysis phase.

SSC lead, support from SSDA, delivery partners, TUs

3 Analysis of the gaps and weaknesses in current workforce development activity in light of the sectoral needs analysis, leading to agreed priorities, objectives and proposed solutions for agreement.

SSC lead, support from delivery partners and TUC, CBI and SBC

THE PROCESS

2 months

2 months

4 Agreeing the scope for collaborative action by employers and their workforces to tackle the identified priorities, what form the action might take and an assessment of what employers are likely to contribute and input to the agreed solutions.

SSC lead with support from social and economic partners (TUs CBI).

5 Developing an action plan with delivery partners including the actions to be taken over the short, medium and longer term and proposed contribution of each partner.

SSCs in conjunction with delivery partners.

PATHFINDER IMPLEMENTATIONSKILLSET (Film, TV, Interactive Media)Establishing a network of Skillset Screen Academies Agreement to move to mandatory levy for film

SEMTA (Automotive, Aerospace, Bioscience, Marine, Electronics)Establishing a national brokerage framework for the sector Developing apprenticeships to address technician shortages in the automotive sub-sector

E Skills UK (IT)Agreement with LSC to implement the SSA e-skills Passport / ITQ strategyProgressing the IT Diploma programme with regional partners

ConstructionSkillsInvestment in the capacity and capability of the OSAT programme Looking for a significant increase in companies investing in training through on-site project based approach

HIGHLIGHTS & WINS

•Engagement with HE

•Sector qualification strategies

•Trade Union involvement

•Engagement of the LSC

•Employer engagement

YORK PRINCIPLES

There should be agreement on how the SSA is handled by the RSP and how the RSP responds to the SSA, regardless of whether a particular sector is a priority for the RSP

Any activity on workforce development within a sector will need to take account of the strategic direction of the sector as set out in its SSA

That in all respects the RSP plan needs to be clear and transparent and reflect its role in delivering SSAs

REGIONAL MECHANISMS

Response to 2005 White Paper identifies RSP mechanism

SSCs are clear of the need to regionalise, combining regional and national routes whilst maintaining consistency where appropriate for employers

Understanding from the Pathfinder experience what works

SSAs provide the evidence and commitment from employers to inform RSP priorities

THE BENEFIT

SSAs provide the mechanism to match demand and supply and in the process change the behaviours of employers, funders and providers alike