Work Skills - DWP and DIUS
Posted: 11 September 2008
The joint publication of Work Skills by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills continues the implementation of the Leitch Review of Skills. Driving this agenda is the recognition that skills lie at the heart of our competitive advantage, and a desire to better integrate the employment and skills systems.
Work Skills highlights some of the recent changes which have taken place including the development and extension of the Skills Accounts, which help to put individuals in control of their learning and the additional funding of adult apprenticeships. Employers too are being given more control of significant funding - over £1 billion by 2010-2011 - for training through Train to Gain.
Development of the Welfare to Work system continues and in recognition of the barriers facing many of those most at risk of economic exclusion, trials of a new adult advancement and careers service are being undertaken to assess its impact on overcoming multiple barriers to employment.
The overall aim is to put in place an integrated system that will increase people's chances of sustained employment with skills progression. Over 100,000 people are expected to gain sustainable employment and achieve a recognised qualification by 2010-2011. Work Skills highlights this shared ambition which will be an incentive for all partners to deliver a system that truly helps individuals into sustainable employment and progression and supports businesses to succeed in the future.