Skills Pledge

1
Skills Pledge

• Presentation for Local Government East Midlands
• Wednesday 1st July 2009

2
Some North East Facts..

• 12 Unitary Authorities
• Smallest is Hartlepool with approx 5,000
  employees
• Largest is Durham County with approx 22,000
  employees
• Population of 2.56 million
• Local Government Workforce of 121,000
• 800 LG Apprenticeships
• 80 LG Local Employment Partnership outcomes from
  11 LA
• All 12 LA signed the Skills Pledge, 8 have signed
  up to the IDeA GO Award (Skills for Life)

3
Our Community Commitment to Skills
4
Sustainable Communities

• higher skills and knowledge among the citys
  residents, enabling them to meet the citys
  skills demands Newcastle Partnership LAA
• Establishing a strong learning and skills base
  for the North East Hartlepool Partnership LAA
  
• Increase number of adults achieving first skills
  for life qualification Northumberland
  Strategic Partnership LAA
• We know that the workforce of the future is
  going to need ever higher levels of skills. By
  2020 we will match the Governments target of 40
  of our population having a Level 4 qualification
  South Tyneside Local Strategic Partnership
  LAA
• The Tees Valley Vision identifies a significant
  need for skills at Level 3 and above
  Darlington Partnership LAA
• A strong economy, which all are able to benefit
  from is the foundation on which prosperity and
  quality of life in Gateshead must be built. This
  relies on fostering conditions that result in a
  growing business base that is resilient in the
  global economy and a skilled workforce
  Gateshead Strategic Partnership LAA

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Joint Investment Approach - Aims

• To facilitate a better understanding of our
  workforce skills profile, specifically gaps in
  functional skills and level 2 qualifications.
• To increase the number of local authority and FRS
  employees raising their levels of skills and
  knowledge as evidenced through attainment of
  qualifications.
• To optimise Train to Gain/Apprenticeship funding
  for delivery of qualifications.
• To align Train to Gain/Apprenticeship funding
  with other funding streams to facilitate
  implementation of workforce strategies, workforce
  development plans and the Skills Pledge.

6
How?

• Bespoke funding to meet organisational challenges
  in the Skills Pledge process.
• Bespoke resource for LAs and FRS to help
  facilitate implementation of the Pledge.
• Address common issues at a regional level.
• Joint investment plan detailing qualifications
  and targeted numbers of learners.
• Lobby central government where funding is not
  aligned to needs e.g. Future Jobs Fund.

7
Organisational Challenges

• Skills Pledge process
• GO Awards vs Skills Pledge
• Workforce skills data
• Employee engagement
• ULR engagement
• HR MIS
• Releasing staff (backfilling) for study
• Recruitment procedures

8
Workforce Audit Tools
9
Audit Tool Demos

• 2Develop Username C126YL (CHARLIE ONE TWO SIX
  YANKEE LIMA)    Password CDU2LGP (CHARLIE DELTA
  UNIFORM TWO LIMA GOLF PAPA)    Website Address
  http//www.2develop.org.uk/portal contact
  Andrea Stephenson Tel   [phone] STAR
  Website  http//www.star-tc.co.uk
• Jobs Go Public https//www.jgpskills.co.uk/skill
  sportalassesscontact David Smith, Tel 07766
  162067 david.smith_at_jgp.co.uk www.jgp.co.uk
• Sigmer Technologies http//www.newsurvey.co.uk/m
  iddlesbrough/ttgcontact T 44 (0) 1279 726 960
  M 44 (0) 7971 211 624 F 44 (0) 1273 669 701
• E niall.mccrae_at_sigmer.com W www.sigmer.com

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State of Play
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Early User Findings

• Questionnaire too long (30-40 mins)
• Security is there or isnt there?
• Communication and engagement poor
• Data Protection outside organisation
• Managers the main culprits
• Of 400 respondents, 52 people indicated a desire
  to brush up on their literacy skills and 94 to
  brush up on their numeracy skills.
• Adult Learning already converting expressions of
  interest.

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Newcastle Skills Pool Project

• NEREO/JCP/Newcastle City Council/A4E joint
  project
• Aims to use LEP to facilitate Skills Pledge
  implementation via staff release in works time
• The Approach
• JCP New Deal clients on 12 week placement in
  Newcastle City Council (still claim JSA and help
  with transport, child care etc)
• Resource front line services free of charge to
  Council whilst employees study for NVQ
• JCP client receives written reference, Food
  Hygiene or BICS certificate, induction, hs
  training, on the job training, personal
  development plan, key skills training and pre
  consideration for permanent vacancies.
• Project starts early September with 8 JCP clients
  in cohort 1.

13
THANK YOU

• Kim Mitchell
• NEREO 07766 161329
• kmitchell_at_nereo.gov.uk