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Objective 4 of the UK's National Cyber Security Strategy is for the UK to have the cross-cutting knowledge, skills and capability it needs to deliver the wider strategy. Through the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP) the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the Cabinet Office have partnered to lead and support activity to increase cyber security skills at all levels of education, and amongst the cyber security workforce over the past two and a half years. This work has been taken forward in close collaboration with business and the education and skills sectors.

To build on this foundation and to continue to take account of the changing cyber security landscape as well as the evolving needs of businesses, BIS engaged with a range of businesses to discuss their cyber security skills needs through a questionnaire and series of workshops. This report sets out the key findings and summarises government plans for cyber security skills activities in the coming year, informed by the suggestions of businesses who participated in the exercise.

Edited excerpts from publication.

The companion 'supporting evidence' document provides the outputs from the questionnaire and feedback from the workshop sessions. It also sets out the government's view on the suggestions put forward by businesses for future actions to strengthen the UK's cyber security skills. Show less

This document sets out the strategy for sustaining the strength of higher education in the UK in the current demanding and competitive environment. In a knowledge economy, universities are the most important mechanism we have for generating and preserving, disseminating, and transforming knowledge into wider social and economic benefits. They are crucial, too, as the providers of life chances for individuals in an environment where skills and the ability to apply those skills are essential preconditions for employment. The aim of these proposals set out here is to build a new national consensus between individuals, government, and employers as to how our higher education system should be supported, adapted and expanded. This can only be achieved through effective partnerships with universities themselves. Show less

Maintaining a vibrant UK oil and gas industry is critical - the industry is a key contributor to [gross domestic product] GDP, to tax revenues, and an important source of exports. This is why both the UK Government and Scottish Government are working to support the sector. The future success of the industry will depend on retaining access to a skilled workforce. The purpose of producing a UK oil and gas workforce plan is to help deal with both short and long-term issues in the sector with industry and governments working together. This plan sets out how the government will help skilled workers in the oil and gas sector find work in the wider engineering sector. It also introduces measures which will help industry deal with the cyclical nature of its workforce needs over the longer term.

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This paper presents evidence that underpins the main technical education reforms laid out in the Post-16 Skills Plan. The analysis shows that skills are vital to addressing the UK's productivity problem, but that the current technical education system is unresponsive, suffers from a lack of engagement with employers, and is complex and difficult for employers, learners, and parents and carers to understand.

The first section of the paper provides a range of data on what the current education system in England is delivering, in terms of participation, transitions and attainment, with a particular focus on technical education. The second section explains why the current technical education system is still not doing enough for learners, employers and the economy as a whole. In particular, it sets out the productivity problem facing the UK economy and the contribution skills can make to productivity. It provides evidence on existing skills deficits and current employer demand for skills. It then shows that the complex and opaque nature of the current system is associated with problematic levels of 'churn' - switching between course types, dropping back to lower-level learning, or repeating study at the same level. Finally, it shows that the expected future changes in demand for skills and labour as a result of technological change and other trends only add to the case for improving the technical education system. The annexes to this paper provide statistics on the level of churn within the system and on the participation and attainment between ages 16 and 18 of those with low attainment at age 15.

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This project results from recommendations made in the skills strategy for England, 'Skills for sustainable growth'. The work was undertaken with the aims of identifying the skills needed to support the transition to a strong and sustainable green economy; and assessing evidence of employer demand and potential responses from the skills system which will lead to these skills being delivered. The overarching purpose for this report is to assist businesses and the agencies which support them in the clear articulation of skills needs related to the green economy: a role for the government repeatedly identified from consultation with industry. 'Enabling the transition to a green economy' contains an overview of the support available to business in demonstrating their demand for skills to support the transition. This report expands on that information to set out the detailed recommendations emerging from the evidence and stakeholder consultation.

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A highly skilled workforce is needed for the UK to compete successfully, but skills shortages remain. The skills system is confusing and often changes, with little employer engagement and an acceptance of poor provision. The UK government initiated the 2010 national skills strategy 'Investing in skills for sustainable growth' with the aim of improving the system. The next step is to make it more rigorous and responsive to need. Vocational qualifications must be rigorous so they qualify a worker to practise in their chosen role. The government aims to achieve this through a responsive system that ensures the flexibility for education and training providers to deliver what learners and employers really want. This publication explains how the government plans to: raise standards by making the system more professional and intervening in poor provision; create traineeships to prepare young people for work; reform and improve the quality of Apprenticeships; make qualifications relevant and valued; use funding to make provision more responsive; and give employers and individuals the information to make the right choices.

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This study sought to investigate the perceptions that foreign businesses held of the the UK as a place to conduct business and of the skills possessed by the UK workforce. It investigated the perceptions of overseas companies on the skills challenges faced by the UK, and which skills they perceived the UK workforce to be lacking. The study examined employer skill preferences in five business sectors: financial services; information communication technology (ICT); bio-pharmaceuticals and life sciences; energy technologies; and advanced manufacturing. Comparisons were made between UK employers and employers in eight countries: France; Germany; Denmark; Netherlands; USA; Brazil; India; and China. Show less

The purposes of this literature review are threefold. First, this review summarises findings of the research from the last decade in six fields identified by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) as critical to its forward planning: (1) the economic, personal and social returns to learning; (2) the quality and effectiveness of provision; (3) the number of learning hours needed for skills gain; (4) learner persistence; (5) the retention and loss of skills over time; and (6) the literacy and numeracy skills that are needed. Second, the review assesses this evidence base in terms of its quality and robustness, identifying gaps and recommending ways in which the evidence base can be extended and improved. Thirdly, the review attempts to interpret the evidence base to suggest, where possible, how returns to [adult literacy and numeracy] ALN learning for individuals, employers and wider society might be increased through effective and cost-effective interventions. The review was undertaken by SQW Consulting, [National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy] NRDC and the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). The age range to be covered by this review was from 19 upwards, and evidence was to be drawn primarily from English-language and UK-based sources.

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The Perkins review of engineering skills, published in November 2013, called for government, employers, educators and the profession to work together to increase engineering skills supply. [The government] has taken on many of the recommendations from the review as set out in this report written in partnership with the engineering community. The engineering community has looked at improving employer engagement across the education system. It has made a commitment to maintain the long-term work initiated by Perkins through the Engineering the Future consortium.

Excerpt from publisher's website. Show less

Through the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP) the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the Cabinet Office have partnered to lead and support activity to increase cyber security skills at all levels of education, and amongst the cyber security workforce over the past two and a half years. This work has been taken forward in close collaboration with business and the education and skills sectors. This guide has been produced in response to calls from businesses for a current and clear listing of the key opportunities for them to engage with cyber security skills and capability initiatives, particularly those that receive public funding. The initiatives comprise those supporting schools, those supporting vocational and higher education, and those supporting new or existing cyber security professionals. Show less