TASC's visit to UK

In October 2001, Jean-Philippe Tabet, Chair of the TASC Board of Directors, and Gary Greenman, Executive Director, have participated in the annual conference of the National Training Organizations (NTO) in the United Kindom.

During this conference two ministers announced the termination of their NTO network and the launch of a large new initiative to create "Sector Skills Councils" (SSC). You will find from the notes below that these are very much based on the Canadian model for sector councils.

BACKGROUND:

• The Alliance of Sector Councils (TASC) was invited to send its Executive Director and Chair of the TASC Board of Directors to participate in the 2001 Employer Skills Summit and National Training Organizations (NTO) Annual Conference, October 16 & 17 in London: the NTO National Council (NTO NC) sponsored the trip of the TASC Executive Director: HRDC was invited to send a representative but declined
  
• This invitation follows TASC and HRDC hosting a British delegation of the NTOs in May 2001, while they were in Canada to study our model for sector councils
  
• The British Department of Education and Skills has been aggressively reviewing their approach to the support of NTOs, and used this conference to announce major new initiatives for the funding and support of new "Sector Skills Councils" (SSC)

CONFERENCE OBSERVATIONS:

• The conference included many very impressive speakers in plenary sessions and a series of very useful workshops
  
• Among the speakers were the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and the Minister for Adult Education, primarily present to announce the new SSC policy
  
• A major speech was delivered by Bill Dalton, CEO HRBC Bank in the U.K. and former CEO with this bank in Canada, who spoke of the employers' vision for workforce and skills development
  
• A report was delivered by the chairperson of their Modern Apprenticeship Advisory Committee which is just releasing a report and study of apprenticeship in Britain
  
• Two series of workshops were presented with varying topics relating to workforce and skills development issues
  
• We were invited to present in a workshop entitled, "Skills and the global economy: a sectoral approach", which was sharing some best practices and approaches on a global basis
  
• The material gathered from the conference speakers and presentations is very useful to the work of Canadian sector councils and HRDC
  
• We were able to arrange for the 500 delegates to each receive a copy of our newsletter, TASC Connections
  
• TASC has been supporting the twinning of similar sector bodies and encouraging this link to share information, best practices and hopefully develop a more ongoing partnership that might address more global issues
  
• An overriding consideration and aspect of this conference was the major policy announcements by the Ministers of the new "Meeting the Sector Skills and Productivity Challenge" policy

OBSERVATIONS ON THE NEW BRITISH "SECTOR SKILLS COUNCIL" POLICY:

• The network of 71 NTOs will be discontinued and they will be phased out: support will be provided for this phase out and some may be absorbed by the new SSCs
  
• A major focus of the new SSCs will be encouraging employers to work through sectors on a skills and productivity agenda
  
• There will be a smaller number of SSCs, but better resourced and able to achieve real impact in their sectors
  
• Strategically these SSCs will boost skills and workforce development, build unrivalled intelligence and analysis, directly influence planning and funding of education and training, forge stronger links between employers and schools, colleges and training providers, develop and share best practices to promote the business case for skills investment, and be run and owned by employers
  
• The four key goals of SSCs will be to reduce skills gaps and shortages and anticipate future needs, improve productivity, business and public services, increase opportunities and productivity of the sector's workforce and address equal opportunities, and improve the learning supply -apprenticeship, higher education and national occupational standards
  
• With a minimum of bureaucracy the success of SSCs will be measured in terms of outcomes and not process
  
• SSCs will be formally constituted bodies owned and led by employers as legally independent entitities: SSCs will have a Chair and Board, initially approved by the Ministers, and accountable to the employers of the sector
  
• The Department will double its funding of SSCs by 2002/2003 and triple it by 2003/2004: and it is prepared to invest up to 1 million pounds per annum to cover the core activities of each SSC
  
• SSC contracts will run for three years subject to annual performance reviews by the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA)
  
• Six trailblazers will be identified from the existing NTO community by late November, with additional funding to make the transition and begin the work of SSCs
  
• Funding will be provided to set up a new Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA), which will assist employers in bidding to become SSCs, fund, support and monitor SSCs, ensure quality and consistent standards, provide minimum cover for essential functions in sectors without an SSC, and other common services on generic skills, best practices and a website portal
  
• The SSDA be a private company with an influential business chair and employer-led Board, and CEO and senior staff
  
• Relevant other departments have been involved and are supporting the sectoral approach for their programs and services, and will be prepared to enter into funding agreements with the SSCs
  
• Further details as available are provided in the attachments, including a timetable for implementation

OTHER RELATED MEETINGS:

• TASC took the opportunity while in London to meet with the following:
• Trade Commissioners at the Canadian High Commission were provided with a briefing on sector councils, and potential links for their promotion and work with British interests and on behalf of Canadian employers
• The Cultural Attache and her staff at the Canadian High Commission were provided with a briefing on the activities of the Cultural Human Resources Council and discussed potential joint projects
• Separate meetings were held with the CEO of the NTO NC, Andy Powell, on increasing partnerships between TASC and the new British SSCs
• A meeting was held with a representative of the Department for Education and Skills, and a commitment to share information as the new policy and procedures are developed
• Bilateral meetings were held with selected and relevant NTOs representatives who were attending the conference

CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS:

• This proved to be a very relevant and useful conference for TASC
• We are anxious to follow the implementation of the new SSC policy in Britain and to gain from their experience and approach, and where possible to share the Canadian experience
  
• The opportunity to share and exchange with other related organizations around the world is helpful, especially as we begin to more seriously address global labour force issues
  
• It was very encouraging to see so much of the Canadian sector council model being reflected in the new British SSCs
  
• We encourage the ongoing partnering of TASC, sector councils on an individual basis, and HRDC with respective organizations internationally addressing common issues
  
• There is interest on the part of the British and TASC in considering an international conference which might share some best practices, work to establish more effective partnering internationally, and address common research issues on the sectoral approach

Link to the British government site with the full copy of the policy, "Meeting the Sector Skills and Productivity Challenge".
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/sectorskills/