SkillsActive respond to Welsh skills strategy

Will Pickering, SkillsActive - 17/04/2008

Working with Governments across the Devolved Administrations, SkillsActive is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the Active Leisure and Learning industry. Directed by employers, SkillsActive leads the skills and productivity drive across the sport and recreation, health and fitness, outdoors, playwork and caravan industries.

SkillsActive welcomes the moves to increase the role of employers in terms of the content and delivery of skills programmes in Wales. However, the final strategy should go further and SkillsActive has called for a clear endorsement of the recommendations of the Leitch Review that only qualifications approved by Sector Skills Councils (SSC) should attract public funding.

Although supporting the main direction of the Strategy, SkillsActive is concerned at the lack of detail that is presented on the specific sectors to be targeted and believes that it does not go far enough to support the rationalisation of qualifications.

Although particularly pleased to read references to the importance of SSCs, we believe that enhanced core resourcing is needed to allow them to better fulfil their potential as employer-led organisations and to act authoritatively as the industry voice to Government on skills related issues.

Richard Tobutt, SkillsActive Programme Manager Wales, said, “In responding to this strategy, SkillsActive has outlined its support of policies such as giving employers a clear role through their Sector Skills Councils in ensuring that the real needs of business inform new vocational qualifications and the intention to give employers a stronger influence over both the funding and delivery of programmes. We look forward to working with the Welsh Assembly Government on behalf of employers in the active leisure and learning sector to ensure that Wales continues to improve its skills base and profitability”

The SkillsActive response to the consultation can be viewed here.