Developing the Workforce Strategy & Policy
The Regional Economic Strategy sets out what the NWDA needs to
do to support the region’s workforce.
Regional Economic Strategy
Everything we do is set out in the Regional Economic Strategy.
The NWDA is responsible for turning the strategy into reality,
which is a complex task. We need to be clear what the strategy is
for and to make sure it fulfils its aims.
To make our job more manageable, the strategy is split up into
bite-size chunks. Developing the Workforce is covered by the Skills
& Education section. (The others are Business, People &
Jobs, Infrastructure and Quality of Life.)
Within the Skills & Education section of the Regional
Economic Strategy, we have a number of jobs to do. We are involved
in: leadership and management training, including LEAD and
mentoring; Train to Gain; higher level skills; key sector training
and employability.
We are currently developing a new single strategy for the region
called RS2010.
Regional Skills and Employment Board
The Regional Skills and Employment Board (RSEB) was established
in 2008 to provide the strategic direction and priorities for
skills and employment in the region and oversee implementation. The
work undertaken by the RSEB is in line with the Regional Economic
Strategy. The RSEB is Chaired by the Chief Executive of the NWDA
and includes both public, private and third sector stakeholders in
its membership.
RSEB’s current focus includes:
- The need for a coordinated employment and skills response to
the economic downturn
- Leading on the skills and employment input for RS2010
- The requirement for Regional Funding Advice on
skills
- Employer engagement, to ensure private sector representation
without duplication of employer-led forums and Boards
The RSEB has three sub groups which report into the full Board:
Sector Skills Group; Employability Group; and Services to Employers
Group.
Key Challenges
The RSEB have identified a number of key challenges for the
region as part of the work towards developing the Regional Strategy
2010.
Short-Term Challenges
- Impact of Recession upon Employment and Redundancy: Respond to
the economic recession by tackling the economic and social effects
of redundancies and lower levels of recruitment across the
region.
- Impact of Recession upon the Region’s Skills Needs: Responding
to the challenges of economic recession by helping employers to
plan and provide for their current and future skills needs.
- The impact of graduates and school leavers entering a reduced
jobs market, coupled with Department for Work & Pensions (DWP)
welfare reforms which will move Incapacity Benefit clients onto
active benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).
Long-Term Challenges
- Employment and Worklessness: Providing the support that the
workless need to gain sustainable and rewarding employment,
especially those from the groups and communities most adversely
affected by unemployment, a lack of work or underemployment.
- Aspirations and Achievement of Young People: Raising the
aspirations and attainment amongst young people, especially amongst
16-19 year olds, and stimulate an interest in and progression
towards higher skills.
- Adult Skills: Ensuring a commitment amongst adults to the
skills and qualification they need for employment, with a focus on
Skills for Life and Level 2 attainment, as well as attainment at
Level 3 and higher skills.
- Employers Investment in Workforce Development and Related
Practice: Stimulate employers to invest more in workforce
development at all levels, including innovation, leadership and
management, and entrepreneurial skills.
- The challenge of an older workforce and the impact this has on
the labour market as when we move out of recession into a growth
period.
Regional Priority Statement
All Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) have been asked to
produce a Regional Skills Strategy which will link economic and
skills issues together, in each region. The NW Regional Skills
Strategy will be form part of the new Integrated Regional Strategy,
RS2010.
RDAs have also been tasked to produce Regional Priority
Statements which will then inform the new Skills Funding Agency’s
investment plans, following regional consultation
the 2010/11 Northwest Statement is available to download
below.
Northwest
Regional Priorities Statement 2010/11
Leitch Review of Skills
The Leitch Review, published in 2006, has changed the way
businesses in the UK train their staff. The review found that the
UK was ranked behind countries such as the US, Germany and France
regarding the quality of management practice, and the US, Japan and
Canada regarding the proportion of the adult workforce qualified to
NVQ Level 4 or equivalent.
It also found that, within SMEs, the management population is
significantly under qualified - with only 38.5% qualified to Level
4 or equivalent in management - and that investment in training and
development was relatively low compared to a number of other
countries. (In contrast, large public and private sector
organisations have recognised leadership and management as a
priority and over the last 20 years have devoted substantial
resources to it.)
The NWDA is working to redress the skills shortage in the
Northwest through Leadership & Management
training and Higher Level Skills
training.
Framework for Action: Leadership & Management
The Framework for Action provides a structure for focusing on
the region’s leadership and management performance and activity.
The framework is the foundations for us to build upon, to make sure
we: meet employers’ needs, simplify the experience for employers
and individuals; simplify the range of provision and support; and
align funding and investment. The Northwest Leadership and
Management Advisory Group plays a key role in steering the
development and implementation of the Framework.