Skills overhaul needed to underpin recovery
03 Aug 2010
by: Margaret Snell
The entire skills landscape requires an overhaul if Britain is to continue to compete as a leading global economy, according to a report from the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), the professional organisation that supports skills development in the insurance and financial services sector.
The report titled “Investing in Tomorrow’s Skills Today - a CII prospectus for skills” also calls on the government to recognise and work better with the existing non-state skills providers like professional bodies.
It emphasises the importance of investing in skills through an economic downturn to ensure Britain remains competitive, particularly in areas like insurance and financial services.
The paper comes as the government has launched its consultation “Skills for Sustainable Growth” which reflects the new administration’s intent to shift from public to private and voluntary providers and to simplify the complex skills system.
The CII report outlines a seven point plan for skills: simplification of the system, stable policy framework, focus on long term goals, better use of professional bodies, an education system that provides a strong grounding in basic numeracy and literacy, improved careers advice and lifelong learning.
Chris Hanks, president of the CII, said: “We face a critical juncture in the development of skills in the UK. The current skills system is a tangled mess of agencies and organisations.
“The CII and similar professional bodies have a long and proven track record in developing skills that boost the UK economy at no cost to the public purse. In these testing times this is something that the coalition government should utilise.”
Hanks concluded: “As a nation, we should not underestimate the importance of investing in skills training, even during tough economic times. As the UK undergoes economic and political change we must grasp the nettle of investing in tomorrow’s skills today or feel the loss tomorrow.”
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