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The National Skills Task Force was set up to ensure that Britain has the skills needed to ensure high levels of employment, be competitive in the global marketplace and provide opportunities for all. In this publication, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment acknowledges the work done by the members of the Task Force and reiterates his views on the importance of creating a learning society with a high degree of knowledge and skills. He stresses the value of knowledge capital and gives details of how the National Skills Agenda will operate. Case studies are presented, strategic plans discussed and new ways of creating excellence in vocational learning are outlined. He also reveals strategies for working with employers to boost skills and productivity, including details of a challenge fund to encourage small firms to work together and share resources. Finally, he asserts that 'learning and skills are the bedrock of social justice and economic prosperity' and that the Skills Agenda is there to ensure that it works for all.

Reports of the National Skills Task Force are indexed from TD/TNC 62.653 to TD/TNC 62.657. Show less

The National Skills Task Force has been established by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to assist him in developing a National Skills Agenda. The Task Force was asked to provide advice on the nature, extent and pattern of skill needs and shortages, including associated recruitment difficulties, how these are likely to change and what can be done to ease such problems. This paper is one of a series that has been commissioned to review and evaluate existing literature in a number of skills-related areas.at has been commissioned to review and evaluate existing literature in a number of skills-related areas.

The author begins this paper by attempting to define both the size of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the importance of their contribution to the United Kingdom (UK) economy. Considerable changes within the sector have made precise definitions difficult. These include sectoral shifts, economic uncertainty, technological change, organisational changes, and public policy which has encouraged the growth of small businesses. Johnson analyses national evidence on SMEs and skills, and includes tables of selected results from the Skills Needs in Britain (SNIB) studies and the Cambridge SBRC surveys. The third section deals with research findings on management skills, general workforce skills, graduate and higher level skills and the use and impact of policy initiatives. The last section presents key findings and the implications for future skills needs. Johnson comments on the incidence and types of training provision, the position and influence of owner/managers, and the suggested policy directions for skills and training initiatives within the SME sector, although the heterogeneous nature of the SME sector makes it difficult to provide categorical statements about the findings.

Other research reports in this series are indexed from TD/TNC 62.633 to TD/TNC 62.644 and from TD/TNC 62.646 to TD/TNC 62.651. Show less

The National Skills Task Force has been established by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to assist him in developing a National Skills Agenda. The Task Force was asked to provide advice on the nature, extent and pattern of skill needs and shortages, including associated recruitment difficulties, how these are likely to change and what can be done to ease such problems. This paper is one of a series that has been commissioned to review and evaluate existing literature in a number of skills-related areas.as been commissioned to review and evaluate existing literature in a number of skills-related areas.

This paper examines the extent, nature and implications of spatial variations in skill levels across England. Following the introduction, Section 2 examines the reasons why skills are important to localities. In addition to the obvious potential for stimulating employment, earnings and living standards, the authors identify other important reasons such as globalisation, which is increasing competitive pressure both nationally and internationally, technological change which is transforming work organisation, and the consequent importance of ensuring that skill deficiencies and gaps are addressed. Section 3 looks at the extent and nature of spatial skill variations in the workforce as a whole and with young people at school. In Section 4 the authors look at the variations locally within 3 levels - at age 11, age 16 and in the workforce as a whole. Section 5 concentrates on the effects that spatial skill variations have on local economic performance - employment, competitiveness, earning and deprivation. Finally, Section 6 presents the implications for policy and future research and summarises the conclusions. The authors maintain that spatial skill variations are substantial at all levels of qualification both for young people and the workforce as a whole and that they are systematic, in that low skill localities are generally low skill at age 11, age 16 and in the workforce as a whole.

Other research reports in this series are indexed from TD/TNC 62.633 to TD/TNC 62.645 and from TD/TNC 62.647 to TD/TNC 62.651. Show less

A National Skills Task Force was established to assist the UK government in developing a National Skills Agenda. The Task Force provided evidence on the nature, extent and pattern of skill needs and shortages in the UK and possible directions for their future development. This evidence was summarised in 'Skills for all: research report from the National Skills Task Force', published in June 2000 (indexed at TD/TNC 62.657). This report is one of a number of associated reports containing detailed information on various aspects of this research. These reports are indexed from TD/TNC 65.225 to TD/TNC 65.232. Other reports related to the National Skills Task Force are indexed from TD/TNC 62.653 to TD/TNC 62.656 and at TD/TNC 62.658.

The aim of this report is to provide a detailed assessment of skill needs and the extent and impact of skill deficiencies within the telecommunications sector which is changing rapidly under the combined impact of technological and market changes as well as the effects of deregulation. The report is based on 10 case studies from a cross-section of this sector and contains the following sections: Executive summary; Aims and context; Industry context, case studies and methodology; Products, process and markets; Human resource policies and practices; Knowledge and skill needs; Recruitment difficulties; Skill gaps. References and appendices are also included. Show less

The National Skills Task Force has been established by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to assist him in developing a National Skills Agenda. The Task Force was asked to provide advice on the nature, extent and pattern of skill needs and shortages, including associated recruitment difficulties, how these are likely to change and what can be done to ease such problems. This paper is one of a series that has been commissioned to review and evaluate existing literature in a number of skills-related areas.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical appraisal of the skills issues relating to the creative industries, including how different parts of the sector have attempted to identify and meet their skills needs, the roles of different parts of the education and training sector in supplying the skills needed, and any evidence relating to the perceived failure in the United Kingdom (UK) to translate good design into good business. In his introduction, Parker identifies important issues to be addressed in the creative industries sector, including the difficulties in defining both the sector and the skills, the problems in estimating the size of the sector using standard data sources, the skills needs of specific creative industries with different work practices, and problems associated with the evaluation and measurement of particular jobs within the sector. It is pointed out that definition of the creative industries by the the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is 'those activities which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property'. Some difficulties lie in the fact that many creative activities are subsumed within other industries and many non-creative occupations are employed within cultural or creative industries. Key characteristics are identified and an analysis is made on changing skills needs of the following sectors: multimedia; publishing; broadcasting, film and video; music; performing arts; and design. Cross-regional perspectives are addressed, the difficulties in predicting and identifying skill shortages and needs noted and consequent implications for policy identified. In his conclusion, Parker makes it clear that treating creative industries as an entity is important in matching skill needs and addressing difficulties across the sector and notes that the Labour Market and Skills Information (LMSI) focus of the Skills Task Force supports that contention.

Other research reports in this series are indexed from TD/TNC 62.633 to TD/TNC 62.643 and from TD/TNC 62.645 to TD/TNC 62.651. Show less

The National Skills Task Force was set up to ensure that Britain has the skills needed to ensure high levels of employment, be competitive in the global marketplace and provide opportunities for all. This third report takes on the problems of low skills amongst the adult workforce, following the Moser Report which revealed that 20 per cent of adults lack even the most basic of skills. Three fundamental issues relating to adult learning in the workplace are addressed: how to give more low qualified adults the opportunity to upgrade their general skills and education, how to ensure that supervisors and owner/managers in small firms have both the resources and the skills to manage and deliver learning in the workplace, and how to spread learning in the workplace across all firms and particularly to those who at present have little access to it. Chapter 1 is an introduction; Chapter 2 presents the challenge of developing the skills of the adult workforce; Chapter 3 looks at information learning, work organisation and the role of managers; and Chapter 4 suggests a new strategy for an effective workforce. Annexes provide a list of the Task Force members and their terms of reference.

Other reports of the National Skills Task Force are indexed at TD/TNC 62.653, TD/TNC 62.654, TD/TNC 62.656 and TD/TNC 62.657 and an initial response to the final report is indexed at TD/TNC 62.658. Show less

The National Skills Task Force was set up to ensure that Britain has the skills needed to ensure high levels of employment, be competitive in the global marketplace and provide opportunities for all. This research paper contains the evidence base for the Task Force's final report 'Skills for all: proposals for a National Skills Agenda'. It comprises 8 chapters and extensive supporting tables and graphs. In his Foreword, the Chairman, Chris Humphries, maintains that the body of evidence will form a base for planners and policy-makers of education and training, as well as for those advising individuals and employers on training and development. Chapter 1 - Introduction, sets out the purpose of the report; Chapter 2 - What we mean by skill and why skills are important, defines and identifies the main skill types and summarises their benefits to all; Chapter 3 - Changes in the nature of jobs and skill requirements, outlines changes and trends in demands; Chapter 4 - Qualifications of the workforce and job-related skills, looks at the relationship between skills and qualifications and the growth and pattern of training; Chapter 5 - The balance between skills supply and demand: skill-related recruitment difficulties, examines the extent and nature of recruitment difficulties and skill shortages experienced by employers; Chapter 6 - Internal skills gaps and future skill requirements, examines employer perceptions of current and future skill deficiencies; Chapter 7 - Market signals - what earnings and the nature of unemployment tell us about where skills are needed, analyses the rate of return to skills and considers the wage differentials between various skills; and Chapter 8 - Skill priorities, describes the six main skill priority areas which, evidence suggests, are the highest priority for further investment.

Other reports of the National Skills Task Force are indexed from TD/TNC 62.653 to TD/TNC 62.656 and an initial response to the final report is indexed at TD/TNC 62.658. Show less

The National Skills Task Force has been established by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to assist him in developing a National Skills Agenda. The Task Force was asked to provide advice on the nature, extent and pattern of skill needs and shortages, including associated recruitment difficulties, how these are likely to change and what can be done to ease such problems. This paper is one of a series that has been commissioned to review and evaluate existing literature in a number of skills-related areas.

This paper examines how economists forecast skill needs, how the economy responds to a lack of skills and the economic consequences of not anticipating skills needs. Following an introduction and summary, the authors first of all examine skills shortages and why we need to anticipate skill needs. They identify the results of skill shortages such as lower quality, lower productivity and higher wages and note the impact of the measures taken by firms to adjust to these shortages. They then discuss the difficulties implicit in leaving it to market mechanisms to address the problems. Finally, they analyse how economists attempt to forecast skills. They discuss occupational forecasting and whether it can be a useful indicator for predicting skill change, question the links between occupations and skills and present some case study examples of skill changes, particularly multi-skilling, in large organisations.

Other research reports in this series are indexed from TD/TNC 62.634 to TD/TNC 62.651. Show less

The National Skills Task Force has been established by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to assist him in developing a National Skills Agenda. The Task Force was asked to provide advice on the nature, extent and pattern of skill needs and shortages, including associated recruitment difficulties, how these are likely to change and what can be done to ease such problems. This paper is one of a series that has been commissioned to review and evaluate existing literature in a number of skills-related areas.

This paper considers issues relating to the measurement of skill for national statistical purposes, drawing on research leading to the revision of the national occupational classification for the United Kingdom (UK), SOC90. (Note: the revised classification will be referred to as SOC2000.) It aims to provide advice on the measurement of skill and the monitoring of change and to explain how the revised classification will affect the analysis of skill change and lead to a re-examination of forecasting of occupational structure. During the two-year revision process, perceived inadequacies were identified and the paper notes the major problems of definition that arose. Following the introduction, Section 2 presents a brief history of occupational classification in the UK. Section 3 describes the conceptual basis of the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). Section 4 looks at problems with SOC90 and the constraints placed on the process. Section 5 briefly discusses the major processes of labour market change which shaped the revision. Section 6 identifies the sources and methods that were used in investigating occupational change. Section 7 presents an outline of the major changes to be introduced within SOC2000. Section 8 presents the authors' conclusions, in which they point out the difficulties caused by the speed of change in both skill areas and work organisation, but also maintain that this will be a better tool for the measurement of skill and for job-matching purposes.

Other research reports in this series are indexed from TD/TNC 62.633 to TD/TNC 62.650. Show less

The National Skills Task Force was set up to ensure that Britain has the skills needed to ensure high levels of employment, be competitive in the global marketplace and provide opportunities for all. This final report brings together the themes and recommendations of the three interim reports. Proposals for a national skills agenda are presented in three areas: policy actions to improve the supply side of education and training; an approach to managing the system so that employment needs and learning strategies match; and a set of targets and measures to monitor and improve progress. Chapter 1 outlines the vision for a National Skills Agenda; Chapter 2 summarises the findings and is an assessment of the main skills gaps and shortages; Chapter 3 presents the features of a new post-16 education and training system; Chapter 4 examines a strategy for stimulating demand and managing the system; and Chapter 5 looks at the way forward in terms of priorities, targets, roles and responsibilities. The publication also contains five annexes detailing terms of reference, membership of the Task Force, publications list and definitions.

Other reports of the National Skills Task Force are indexed from TD/TNC 62.653 to TD/TNC 62.655 and at TD/TNC 62.657 and an initial response to the final report is indexed at TD/TNC 62.658. Show less