Your chance to influence the Government's skills strategy

Employers have been invited to submit comments on proposals set out in the Government's new White Paper on skills.

The White Paper sets out the next phase of the Government's strategy to tackle UK skills shortages. 

After setting out progress made since the publication of the first national Skills Strategy in July 2003, the White Paper outlines the rationale for the next stage of reform.

Key proposals include:

  • a new National Employer Training Programme to deliver free training for vocational qualifications;

  • new pilot schemes to support vocational training (equivalent to two A-levels) at technician, craft and associate professional level skills; and

  • skills academies to focus on the needs of each major sector of the economy and help raise the status and value of vocational education and training.

    The deadline for comments is Friday 24 June 2005.

  • Government commits to boosting UK skills
    •   Mike Berry reports, from personneltoday.com.

  • Skills: Getting on in business, getting on at work     Read the full text of the Skills White Paper, as published on the Department for Education and Skills website.

    Also

    Read the initial reactions of workplace lobby groups to the Budget, as published on their respective websites: CBI, EEF, and TUC .

    Skills initiative puts employers in control   Personnel Today's Michael Millar reports.

    Budget 2005: the implications for HR    Read HR & Compliance Centre's coverage of Chancellor Gordon Brown's 2005 Budget statement, delivered on 16 March, which included number of initiatives to help boost UK employment and productivity levels and, in particular, to help the manufacturing sector respond to competitive pressures from China and India.

    Government skills strategy    Read XpertHR's coverage of the 2003 launch of the Skills Strategy White Paper, designed to help build 'a new skills alliance where every employer, employee and citizen plays their part'.