UK's economic future in the hands of technicians

17 March 2011

This week, the Skills Commission will launch a parliamentary inquiry, investigating how the UK can ensure it has a world class training system producing world class technicians.

Cross-party, industry led and chaired by Professor Alison Halstead, the inquiry will examine the future of technician and higher level skills, crucial to the UK maintaining its competitive advantage in a time of financial flux.

Rebalancing the UK's economy

The Government has made clear its ambition to create a more production-led economy, expanding UK exports of high valued-added goods to emerging markets such as India, China and Brazil.

To achieve this, the UK needs individuals with the skills and capabilities to make these goods. With the cost of higher education rising, an expansion of technical training and apprenticeships is vital.

However, the UK is already lagging behind the rest of Europe, with only 3.7% of its workforce trained to technician level – compared to an EU average of 5.3%. To take advantage of new emerging markets and provide much needed new job opportunities, the UK must reconsider its technician and higher level skills training.

Last year, the Government set out an ambitious programme to reform the further education and skills sector, emphasising the importance of technician and higher level skills.

The Skills Commission's inquiry will bring together leading figures from the education and skills sector, such as Sir Mike Tomlinson and Frank Mcloughlin, as well as leading employers, such as National Grid, BT, Microsoft and E.ON, to make a constructive contribution to this reform and help create a more effective and inclusive skills system.

Professor Alison Halstead, Chair of the Skills Commission inquiry and Pro-Vice Chancellor at Aston University, said:

"The Government has recognised the importance of technical skills to growing the UK's manufacturing and engineering industries. This timely inquiry will build on the recent Wolf report on 14-19 education by focusing on the next stage; technical vocational and professional skills for adults including apprenticeships and higher level education.

With input from leading employers and educational providers we will explore whether the current system is capable of training people to meet their personal ambitions and the needs of the economy.”

Andy Palmer, Head of Skills at BT and a participant in the inquiry, commented:

"If the UK is to maintain its economic competitiveness and be a global leader in high value-added goods and services, it is vital that we have not just good, but the best vocational training. The work of the Commission should go some way to helping us to achieve this."

Wolf Review of 14-19 Vocational Education

The Government has recently published its landmark report on 14-19 vocational education, written by Professor Alison Wolf. The Skills Commission will pick up where the report ends, by examining education and training for individuals leaving school and entering further education, higher education and the labour market.

Regional focus

If the UK is to develop a more sustainable and balanced economy, we must ensure that all parts of the country benefit from new markets and new jobs; the historic industrial heartlands of the UK must be central to any strategy for growth.

Consequently, in addition to the inquiry's parliamentary evidence sessions, the Commission will also be holding a series of regional meetings, inviting local SMEs, businesses and colleges to give evidence and discuss the key challenges they face in relation to training for technicians and higher level skills.

This week the Commission will be publishing a call for evidence and hold its first evidence session in Parliament. The Commission will publish its final report in July.

---

Press releases, papers and documents published on this page are the intellectual property of an organisation unrelated to Central Lobby. We promote their parliamentary and political campaigning activities as they are subscribers to the Central Lobby service.

As such, Central Lobby does not edit, endorse, or attempt to balance the opinions expressed on this page. The content of press releases and other such types of content are the responsibility of the originating organisation.