Sector Skills CouncilsEmbedding Skills for Life

Sharon SimpsonAsset Skills

Overview• SSCs and Skills for Life• Sector materials available• Embedding project• Mapping• Whole Organisation Approach• HR Processes• Communication Strategy

SSCs’ approach to Skills for Life• Commitment at senior level• Internal awareness raising• Positive view – selling the benefits• Employer engagement and employee support• Partnership working• Assessment tools and learning materials• Sector Skills Agreements• Sector Qualifications Strategy• Whole Organisation Approach

Sector Materials Available• Skills Check and Initial Assessment Tools available from

DfES (www.toolslibrary.co.uk)– Generic workplace tools – Sector specific tools available: Cleaning, Retail, Road

Passenger Transport and Health Care Assistants

• Embedded Learning Materials– Wide variety of sectors covered

www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus/embeddedlearning

Embedding Project• Embedding Skills for Life and Key Skills• Awarding Bodies

– Staff training, qualification design and centre support

• Sector Skills Councils (standard setting body)– Focus on National Occupational Standards (NOS), qualification

development and assessment– Cleaning, Retail, Food manufacturing, Clothing manufacturing– Materials available www.totallyskilled.co.uk

• Highlighting the literacy and numeracy content of NOS to ensure coverage in qualifications and job descriptions

Mapping• Raise awareness of importance of literacy and numeracy

skills in the workplace• Workshop for Skills for Life, Careers and Standards &

Qualifications staff at SSCs• Analyse job descriptions/person specifications against

adult literacy and numeracy curricula• Create literacy/numeracy profile for job roles• Spiky profile• Aid recruitment, training, promotion

Whole Organisation Approach

• Senior Level Commitment• Where are we now? • Objectives, Budget and Timetable• Working Group/Steering Committee (ULR involvement)• Communication strategy – awareness raising• Embedding into HR processes• Evaluation and monitoring• Not a one off process but part of organisational

development

HR Processes

• Awareness raising for HR specialists and line managers• Job descriptions and recruitment advertising• Interviews and selection (including

skills-checking/assessment where appropriate)• Induction (including skills-checking)• Skills audit for existing staff – training needs analysis• Appraisal• Staff development – learning agreement• Corporate materials – review all for readability

Communication Strategy

• Demonstrate senior level commitment• Awareness raising for line managers and supervisors• Get everyone on board• Publicise learning opportunities to staff at all levels – tie

in with national initiatives, eg Learning at Work Day• Caution: check availability of training!• Use Intranet, staff newsletter, etc• Celebrate success

Sharon SimpsonSkills Development Manager

ssimpson@assetskills.orgTel: 01604 233336

Mobile: 07841 234161

Contact Information