Welcome

Meeting the Skills Challenge Andrew ChealActing Area Director LSC Northamptonshire

The Public Services Collective ChallengeDrivers• The public services sector encompasses a large and

diverse range of sub sectors • Public services cannot choose its markets; businesses or

clients• Public services are subject to a continuous range of policy

drivers, legislation and regulation

Structure• Large, complex and dominant in most local economies. • Significant internal and external supply chain.

The Public Services Collective ChallengeDemographics and the ‘time bomb’…..• less than 7% of staff are aged 25 years or less

and 45% are aged over 45 years. • Within twenty years nearly half the sector will

have retired, leaving a substantial gap in skills and experience.

• 50% less than the economic norm of employees under age 25

• 30% more than the economic norm of employees over age 50

Leading the Way..? Through Train to Gain :Apprenticeships • There are currently nearly a quarter of a million apprentices working in over

130,000 organisations in England alone, across 80 different sectors of industry. Public Services represent less than one in ten.

Skills Pledge • Since June 2007, 714 organisations have made a commitment to the Skills

Pledge – covering 3.15 million employees. Barely three in every ten come from Public Service Employers

Skills for Life • Progress to the 2010 target of 2.25m improving their basic skills is well underway.

Response from Public Services employers is essential

Taking Collective Action - Benefits• Preparing for the Future

– Being ready for changing client/customer needs – Continuing to upskill where most needed, inc higher level skills– Achieving real measurable impact – in the local context– Changing culture, changing prospective/current employee

perceptionsMaximising Resources – Aligning and targeting funding and effort

– New evidence of demand - Deal for a Deal – Joint Investment Framework in Health– Establishing Train to Gain provision – independent brokerage

and network of providers – Sharing successful practice

Taking Collective Action - Benefits• Exceeding Government Expectations

– Across Government, Public Services are challenged and expected to lead the way

– ‘World Class Skills’ laid a challenge to Public Services employers. Government will take action.

– The National Apprenticeships Review will set a new challenge for Public Services

– Skills Pledge uptake is rising steadily, but from a strong start Public Services is falling behind the private sector

Model for the Public Sector •Joint Investment Framework

•Key Features• Partnership • 3 year agreement for ‘matched funding’• Delivery Infrastructure, brokerage, communications• Commitment to the skills pledge• Flexibility–local relevance and ownership• Monitoring and evaluation• Med/long term sustainability

The NHS Model Workforce Leads working with employers identify:

•Workforce skills needs (bands 1 to 4)• Training / qualification types

•Learner numbers and characteristics

Staff eligible for LSC fundingStaff ineligible for LSC funding

(funded by SHA/Employer or fromother funding sources)

Train to Gain process

LSC approved providersProviders of employers’ choice

JIF Partnership Manager

Why have the NHS done this?• A clearly articulated workforce development plan

as part of public sector reform;•Demand from the NHS for skills and qualifications drives the behaviour of providers to respond to NHS needs;•Stretches NHS workforce development resources by using the public entitlement to funding to address some needs – releasing more funds to do specialised, customised training.

The Deal from the LSC• Access to independent and impartial brokerage;• Access to quality assured providers to meet your

needs;• Access to financial support for learning:

• No cost learning for skills for life;• No cost learning for any staff to achieve their first full level 2

qualification; • Subsidy towards staff achieving a full level 3 qualification

(62.5% currently);• Major subsidy towards the development of an Apprentice (all

ages)

The benefits of the Skills Pledge• A public display of your commitment to the

development and qualification of your workforce;• A framework to assess workforce needs;• Support from an independent broker (if required) to

assist with organisational needs development; • A costed action plan that clearly defines your

entitlement to public funding

Public Sector Compact next steps• Taking opportunities to identify needs and upskill

current and future workforce;• Develop a cohesive approach to meet the needs of

local public sector employers;• Benchmark and share good practice across partner

organisations;• Chance to shape the provision available to meet

priority demands for your sector;• Access to public support and funding.

Interested?

For Skills Pledge contact Marilyn Saddington (EMB Broker) on Marilyn.Saddington@eastmidlandsbusiness.co.ukor www.traintogain.co.uk/skillspledge;For further information on Northamptonshire Public Sector Compact contact clare.reynolds@lsc.gov.ukFor Joint Investment Framework discussions contact Eryl Prentice at the LSC on eryl.prentice@lsc.gov.uk