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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Skills training 'needs shake-up' | Skills training 'needs shake-up' |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| A radical change in the way young people and adults are trained is needed to plug the skills gap and stop Britain lagging behind, a key report has said. | A radical change in the way young people and adults are trained is needed to plug the skills gap and stop Britain lagging behind, a key report has said. |
| Recommendations in Lord Leitch's government-commissioned review include making it compulsory to stay in education until age 18. | Recommendations in Lord Leitch's government-commissioned review include making it compulsory to stay in education until age 18. |
| He wants all British adults to double their skills achievements by 2020. | |
| Employers should have more say over training and a new careers service should be created in England, he adds. | Employers should have more say over training and a new careers service should be created in England, he adds. |
| He also warned there were too many qualifications, many with few benefits. | He also warned there were too many qualifications, many with few benefits. |
| 'Lingering decline' | 'Lingering decline' |
| The report warns that even if current targets are met, skills in the UK will still lag behind comparable countries in 2020. | The report warns that even if current targets are met, skills in the UK will still lag behind comparable countries in 2020. |
| Lord Leitch said: "Without increased skills, we would condemn ourselves to a lingering decline in competitiveness, diminishing economic growth and a bleaker future for all. The case for action is compelling and urgent." | Lord Leitch said: "Without increased skills, we would condemn ourselves to a lingering decline in competitiveness, diminishing economic growth and a bleaker future for all. The case for action is compelling and urgent." |
| The Association of Colleges, which represents 400 further education institutions, backed a plan to extend education and training for everyone up to the age of 18. | The Association of Colleges, which represents 400 further education institutions, backed a plan to extend education and training for everyone up to the age of 18. |
| It was a disgrace that 200,000 young people were out of work in jobs with no training, the association said. | It was a disgrace that 200,000 young people were out of work in jobs with no training, the association said. |
| 'Radical changes' | |
| AoC chief executive Dr John Brennan said colleges wanted a constructive solution which would allow individual as well as business needs to be met. | AoC chief executive Dr John Brennan said colleges wanted a constructive solution which would allow individual as well as business needs to be met. |
| He added: "Just subsidising employers from the public purse won't solve the problem. | He added: "Just subsidising employers from the public purse won't solve the problem. |
| "If Leitch is right, and a dramatic expansion in the nation's skills base is required, this should not be at the expense of individuals' opportunities, but a radical rethink of how everyone - employers, the state and individuals themselves, should invest." | "If Leitch is right, and a dramatic expansion in the nation's skills base is required, this should not be at the expense of individuals' opportunities, but a radical rethink of how everyone - employers, the state and individuals themselves, should invest." |
| Mark Fisher, chief executive of the Sector Skills Development Agency, said the report recognised that employers must be "in the driving seat of workforce development". | Mark Fisher, chief executive of the Sector Skills Development Agency, said the report recognised that employers must be "in the driving seat of workforce development". |
| "It is vital that employers across all sectors must be involved if we are to close the enormous skills gaps that are threatening future competitiveness." | "It is vital that employers across all sectors must be involved if we are to close the enormous skills gaps that are threatening future competitiveness." |
| It is crucial that the provision of skills and training is simplified and "grounded in employer needs", he added. | It is crucial that the provision of skills and training is simplified and "grounded in employer needs", he added. |
| In his interim report published a year ago, Lord Leitch said that skills had improved over the past decade. | In his interim report published a year ago, Lord Leitch said that skills had improved over the past decade. |
| But he said more than a third of adults of working age lacked a basic school-leaving qualification, he said, adding that 5 million adults had no qualifications at all. | But he said more than a third of adults of working age lacked a basic school-leaving qualification, he said, adding that 5 million adults had no qualifications at all. |
| 'Economic consequences' | 'Economic consequences' |
| A coalition of 32 organisations from across adult learning have written to Gordon Brown warning that the failure to fund adult learning for all will have serious economic consequences. | A coalition of 32 organisations from across adult learning have written to Gordon Brown warning that the failure to fund adult learning for all will have serious economic consequences. |
| Led by the national homelessness charity, Crisis, they say that the government's current strategy is failing adults, particularly disadvantaged adults. | Led by the national homelessness charity, Crisis, they say that the government's current strategy is failing adults, particularly disadvantaged adults. |
| The charity's chief executive Leslie Morphy said: "Government says it wants to help more people to learn. But the reality is very different. | The charity's chief executive Leslie Morphy said: "Government says it wants to help more people to learn. But the reality is very different. |
| "Courses are closing, teachers are being made redundant and the focus on adults achieving vocational qualifications is ignoring what can be achieved through wider learning." | "Courses are closing, teachers are being made redundant and the focus on adults achieving vocational qualifications is ignoring what can be achieved through wider learning." |
| Fashion designer Jasper Conran said the UK is at a disadvantage because it has never had the skilled production infrastructure to maximise potential. | Fashion designer Jasper Conran said the UK is at a disadvantage because it has never had the skilled production infrastructure to maximise potential. |
| He said: "This review provides fresh focus on skills and bluntly reminds us that without the continued investment in training required to maintain the many skills and crafts that go into producing quality garments and footwear, we are merely investing in a skills gap." | He said: "This review provides fresh focus on skills and bluntly reminds us that without the continued investment in training required to maintain the many skills and crafts that go into producing quality garments and footwear, we are merely investing in a skills gap." |