Skills audit provides a wealth of opportunity
First ever national survey highlights current and future skills needs
The National Strategic Skills Audit sets out current trends and what skills will be needed in the coming years.
The audit, carried out by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, will help the government and employers plan for growth and ensuring individuals have the right skills to support businesses.
It also identifies sectors, occupations and skills that require particular focus in a changing economy and labour market.
In response the UKCES audit, the government has launched key programmes to ensure the UK economy is supplied with the skills needed to fuel the growth of key new industries in the coming years. These include new National Skills Academies will be developed to cover five new sectors – rail engineering; logistics; green building services; biotechnology and composites – funded by £12m of public investment matched by the private sector.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills also launched a £50m Joint Investment Programme, matching employer investment pound for pound in priority sectors.
The priority now is to start filling many of the skills gaps identified in the audit and fdf (Foundation Degree Forward) is already working with key strategic partners on a range of innovative programmes.
“The UKCES Skills Strategy report provides an important evidence base for the higher education sector,” explained Professor Derek Longhurst, chief executive of fdf.
“While there will be demand for skills development at all levels, there is a strong need to ensure joined-up progression pathways."
The proportion of employers reporting skills gaps is highest in the following sectors:
- electricity, gas and water (30% of employers with skills gaps)
- hotels and catering (26% of employers with skills gaps)
- education (25% of employers with skills gaps)
- public administration and defence (23% of employers with skills gaps)
- health and social work (23% of employers with skills gaps).
- These skills gaps are caused by a variety of reasons, such as a lack of experience/staff recently recruited (71% of skills gaps), or high staff turnover (13%) and a failure to train and develop staff (25%).
A majority of the employers questioned (69%) expected that at least some of their staff would need to acquire new skills or knowledge over the next 12 months. This is much higher than the 19% of employers who identified current skills gaps among their staff. Most employers reported that the recession has had no impact on the amount or type of training they provide, the type of provider used or the amount of training that leads to a nationally recognised qualification.
“'fdf has developed its strategy to meet the needs of adult employees through linking accreditation of work-based learning, through our EBTA service, to appropriately-designed and flexible higher education opportunities that can be accessed through the workplace,” added Prof Longhurst.
The audit concludes by identifying high priority skills needs for immediate action and these includes areas where fdf is already actively involved in improving the provision of high level skills training.
These include specific management and leadership skills in retail, business services, ICT and media organisations, financial and professional services, health and social care, education, public administration and hospitality.