This is dry but factual and thanks to Susie Hill and our internal research team for this excellent summary.
A detailed view of who looks after all the occupational competences in Scotland and UK.
SQA make and regulate the qualifications coming out of this policy environment.
Background
The Leitch Review of the UK’s long term skill needs was published in December 2006. Following this, the governments of the UK set out their own plans with Skills for Scotland, a Lifelong Skills Strategy, published in September 2007 being the Scottish Government's response . Since then, there has there has been rationalisation of skills bodies at UK and devolved levels. Among those affected have been the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA), the National Employment Panel (NEP), and the Sector Skills Alliance Scotland. Working arrangements and patterns of relationship between the newly created bodies are emerging.
Skills Groups
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES)
This body was launched 1 April 2008 and is primarily advisory in nature. Its remit is to develop an independent view on how employment and skills services can be improved, to assess progress, and to advise Ministers at UK and devolved levels. It will also fund and manage the performance of the Sector Skills Councils (SSCs), advise on their re-licensing, and report to Parliament. Two of its quarterly reporting meetings at UK Ministerial level will include the devolved governments. The full Commission itself will meet four times a year, and operate with six sub-committees, one strategic. Minutes are published on the internet.
The body is registered as a company, is funded by grant in aid and has: as Chairman, Sir Michael Rake of BT; as Chief Executive, Chris Humphries formerly of City & Guilds; and 20 Commissioners. These include Grahame Smith of the STUC and Willie Roe, Commissioner for Scotland and Chair of Skills Development Scotland (SDS).
In the development of a five year strategic plan, the Commission is carrying out a public consultation over a five month period, closing in September. At the same time, it is assessing the performance of each Sector Skills Council (SSC), including through employer feedback. Each SSC will submit a business case for re-licensing by June 2009.
The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils (TASSC)
The Alliance was also set up in April 2008 to articulate the employer voice in the skills system, giving SSCs increased influence over policy. This includes ensuring that the voice is heard in the design and development of learning at all levels and in all settings.
The Alliance is funded by the subscriptions of its members, and is a company limited by guarantee with offices in London, Edinburgh, Bridgend, and Belfast. It recently appointed John McNamara as first Chief Executive.
The Alliance in Scotland has a sub-structure of a Council, four Strategic Groups - one for each key aim - and a Forum to deliver the aims set out in Skills for Scotland.
The Alliance Council comprises: the Director, Scotland; the Chief Executive; the Chairs of the four Strategic Groups; and four of the Partner Organisations, namely the Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland (SDS), SQA, and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). It has no legal duties but may produce reports.
Employer Engagement Strategic Group. This group has nine SSC representatives. External members to date are the Scottish Government and SQA.
Partnerships Strategic Group. This group has eight SSC representatives and to date, one external member, the Scottish Government.
Labour Market Intelligence Strategic Group. This group has six SSC representatives, together with the Scottish Government and SQA. Its focus is sectoral LMI as opposed to the global approach of Futureskills Scotland.
Qualifications and Learning Strategic Group. This group has seven SSC members together with the Scottish Government. It is anticipated that there will also be representation from SQA (x2), ASC, and SCQF.
Alliance Forum. This internal group will have representation from all 25 SSCs to facilitate network communication.
Skills Development Scotland (SDS)
In September 2007 the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning announced the creation of SDS bringing together Careers Scotland, learndirect scotland/SUFI, and key skills elements of Scottish Enterprise (SE) and Highlands (HIE) and Islands Enterprise, including funding of the National Training Programmes.
SDS to work to realise the vision set out in Skills for Scotland focusing on individual development of skills, the improved economic pull of skills, and the creation of cohesive structures for the delivery of skill development. It is a registered company limited by guarantee and an NDPB fully accountable to Scottish Ministers.
Willie Roe, Scotland Commissioner to UKCES, is the Chair with Damien Yates, formerly of learndirect scotland/SUFI, as Chief Executive. There are five non-executive board members. They are:
Evelyn McCann, formerly of SE
William Stevely, formerly in HE
Ann Douglas, National Secretary of Prospect
Janet Lowe, SFC and SDS Boards
Alan McGregor, Glasgow University
Cay Stratton, Special advisor on UKCES.
An Operating Plan 2008/9 has been published. It states that there will be close working in particular with the SFC and its Skills Committee, and that consultation is taking place to support the development of a first corporate plan.
Modern Apprenticeship Group (MAG)
The Modern Apprenticeship Implementation Group was renamed as of 1 January 2007 to become MAG. It has a formal constitution and derives its authority from Scottish Ministers. Its remit is to approve and re-approve Modern Apprenticeship Frameworks for Scotland. A formal procedure for member nominations has been introduced and an independent chair is to be appointed. The members to date are SDS, the Scottish Government, SFEU, SQA Accreditation Unit, the Scottish Training Federation, STUC, and TASSC. At any time a maximum of six representatives from different organisations maybe invited to attend.
SCQF Partnership
The SCQF Partnership Board was set up in November 2006 to manage the Framework. The members are ASC, SQA, the QAA for HE, Universities Scotland, and the Scottish Government. It is chaired by Dr. Andrew Cubie.
The SCQF Forum helps support the Framework. It is made up from senior representatives from education, business and communities in Scotland and will include SDS, TASSC, and UKCES.
The Quality Committee ensures clear, accurate technical information. It is chaired by Prof. Alex MacLennan and has nine members representing FE, HE, local authorities, SQA, QAA, HMIE, and the Institute of Bankers.
Scottish Funding Council Skills Committee
The Skills Committee of SFC collects and processes evidence of skill needs in Scotland, advises how improvement can be made in meeting them, and considers the supply and demand for FE and HE. It makes inputs and receives inputs from other Council committees and groups.
The Skills Committee has three Council members, one of whom, Dr. Janet Lowe, is the Chair. She is also on the Board of SDS. Among the 10 external members are Grahame Smith of the STUC and Chris Humphries of UKCES.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Diaroogle
For those who tell me that Web2 offers nothing useful. There is clearly a lot of social enterprise going on behind this site. Description below and worth a look for intersting Google Maps Mash Up.
If Renton had this in Trainspotting would he still have had to stick his arm down that U-Bend ?
Coming to a city near you...
Like the description
If Renton had this in Trainspotting would he still have had to stick his arm down that U-Bend ?
Coming to a city near you...
Like the description
Diaroogle helps you find quality public toilets from your mobile phone.
It's for the discerning, on-the-go defecator who is brave enough to use a public bathroom, but still demands a hygienic and private bathroom experience. It is also a community authored database of New York toilets.
Blog Power
I got a nice message this morning from from Andrew Carey at the Triarchy Press, the publisher of "Systems Thinking in the Public Sector" offering me a second hand copy - he had picked up my last blog post.
I actually ordered one over the weekend and have already found a donor for book when it arrives, thanks to Twitter and thanks again to Andrew and Triarchy Press. I hope it is the inspiring read that I have been promised.
Interesting who reads blogs - when I posted on Microsoft Popfly I got a helpful follow up comment from headquarters in Redmond within a matter of hours.
Web2 is shrinking the world and Scots Educators you need to get out here ;-) ( this message is for those that can't access this ;-) )
I actually ordered one over the weekend and have already found a donor for book when it arrives, thanks to Twitter and thanks again to Andrew and Triarchy Press. I hope it is the inspiring read that I have been promised.
Interesting who reads blogs - when I posted on Microsoft Popfly I got a helpful follow up comment from headquarters in Redmond within a matter of hours.
Web2 is shrinking the world and Scots Educators you need to get out here ;-) ( this message is for those that can't access this ;-) )
Friday, August 15, 2008
Leadership in the Public Sector
Interesting that following my last posting I have had quite a few suggestions on useful books on changes that are needed particularly in public sector in the UK . But more interesting three of the suggestions all pointed to one book recently published and none of these plugs came from the author or anyone connected with the publisher. Better go and buy a copy or if anyone in SQA has spare one - let me know...
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Leadership and Management in UK
Some of the educational bloggers I follow have been blogging about management and leadership this week - must be that back to school week. see John and Don Leddingham
Meanwhile I have just been at meetings with industry and standards setting bodies who blame decline on education mmm is this Six Degrees of Separation or more likely they are already looking at the changes that need to come in management and leadership across industry.
A good place to look are the national occupational standards NOS in UK for management and leadership these are developed by the Management Standards Centre. We use these standards as basis for awards in Scotland and rest of UK and we work closely with the Chartered Management Institute to make sure our HN awards lead to Chartered Manager Status.
I attended a rather entertaining launch of some new standards in London on Wednesday here are the main points from the morning. Making UK Management and Leadership Skills World Class by 2020: Pioneering Change
In reverse order from twitter (slightly edited with other notes from day)
It started out in quite a focused way and by end - well it's all the fault of teachers and television.
But some useful nuggets - I've not checked these "facts"
On serious note we have some recognised serious shortcomings across the Scottish public and private sectors and we are going to see what else can be done about this and that was why my journey was necessary.
Meanwhile I have just been at meetings with industry and standards setting bodies who blame decline on education mmm is this Six Degrees of Separation or more likely they are already looking at the changes that need to come in management and leadership across industry.
A good place to look are the national occupational standards NOS in UK for management and leadership these are developed by the Management Standards Centre. We use these standards as basis for awards in Scotland and rest of UK and we work closely with the Chartered Management Institute to make sure our HN awards lead to Chartered Manager Status.
I attended a rather entertaining launch of some new standards in London on Wednesday here are the main points from the morning. Making UK Management and Leadership Skills World Class by 2020: Pioneering Change
In reverse order from twitter (slightly edited with other notes from day)
It started out in quite a focused way and by end - well it's all the fault of teachers and television.
But some useful nuggets - I've not checked these "facts"
On serious note we have some recognised serious shortcomings across the Scottish public and private sectors and we are going to see what else can be done about this and that was why my journey was necessary.
 | Television finally getting blame for promoting bullying and poor values The Apprentice and Devils Den and the swearing chefs not good role models |  |
| | lesson from this morning give people around you continual opportunities to step up and take risks manage challenges | |
| | where do children learn to be leaders in todays schools ? not enough challenge | |
| | leadership and management failures in UK being piled at education's doors. Grumpy corporate rotters or is this insight ?? | |
| | despite credit crunch stilll queues for private schools in london and across UK in Sweden money follows learner this drives up standards | |
| | or driven by a lack of values and attitudes to learning there is no simple answer | |
| | current school system (england) "only" fails 54pc of young people this is higher than anywhere in the developed world. A scandal and driven by academic snobbery | |
| | do you do intense leadership coaching with all staff and offer rewards on how on well they develop the next leaders | |
| | have you got staff who are able to "not take " or opt out of responsibility for what they do from beginning to end if so redesign work | |
| | don't do top down plans they don't work | |
| | good example of mindmaps rather than using business reports massive added value in large corporation over night | |
| | still problem at policy level in UK we are too arrogant to look at rest of world | |
| | UK low esteem and a lack of pride in achievement and too many managers who don't have proper values , aspirations or goals in private and public sector - ouch | |
| | leadership and risk has to be in our industries context but we should all take more risk | |
| | chinese best qualified managers and good at identifying their weaknesses deep understanding of skillsets required UK USA too complacent | |
| | if you are not growing next leaders in your company or in your industry - serious problems with your leadership and your industry | |
| | leaders need constant challenge and validation and should never be too busy to think - reflection should be regular |
| | we learn leadership by doing it and being open to challenges not through courses or qualifications How do you move staff around no comfort zones if you want to grow managers and leaders?? | |
| | There are no low tech industries but there are too many low tech organisations in the UK | |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)