The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Mr John Hayes)
Balanced and sustainable economic growth can only be driven by business and enterprise. Business in the UK cannot prosper while the risk of a debt crisis hangs over the economy. This Government have therefore put decisive action on the fiscal deficit at the centre of their agenda. Equally though, it is vital we recognise strong and continuing growth as a key route to getting this country back on track, including reducing our debts. Skills and training are a central component of this, contributing to employment, productivity and economic growth.
Today I am publishing “Skills for Sustainable Growth”—a consultation document which sets out our emerging vision for skills and explores some key areas where we would like to seek further views. This is complemented by a technical consultation document which seeks views on a simplified funding system.
I am inviting employers, individuals, colleges and training organisations to share their ideas on how they would like skills policy to be set out in future.
We will publish a full strategy for skills after the spending review in October, informed by these views, which will set out in more detail how we intend to support our learning and skills priorities.
We have developed some key principles to guide our work as we develop our strategy for skills in England. These principles are designed to underpin a strategy that will:
Provide a respected, credible vocational training offer that will provide people with a route into employment, help them progress in their careers or support them in starting their own business.
Tackle the needs of those who have poor work prospects or a high chance of spending long periods out of work.
Give learners and employers access to high quality, impartial information so they will be able to choose the learning that best suits their needs.
Realise the best returns on both Government investment and the increasing amount of learner and employer investment in the skills system.
Give greater freedom to colleges and training organisations to respond flexibly to employer and learner demand.
Empower communities to develop the informal life-long learning opportunities in which they want to participate.
Recognise that in the current fiscal environment, it is even more important that public funding is used where it is most needed and where it gives most value.
The spending review will provide an opportunity to transform the skills system so that informed and empowered learners are placed at the heart of provision. We want to ensure that our strategy for skills supports economic growth, encourages progression and promotes learning for wider cultural and community benefit.
Information on how to respond to the consultation document is available on the BIS website and copies of “Skills for Sustainable Growth” have been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.