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The contents of this report form the evidence for, and recommendations to, the Scottish Executive on what the Employability Framework should contain. Publication is not an undertaking that the Scottish Executive will implement its recommendations. The findings of this report will be addressed by the Framework document when it is published later in the year
Summary of Recommendations
1. On enhancing interventions….
We recommend that the Executive should consider, along with its agencies, whether current policy drivers could be enhanced to help people in specific sectors and groups where there are barriers to progression to move up and out of low paid/low skilled work.
2. On making services better known and understood…
Where it is not already the case, we recommend that publicly-funded delivery agents should set stretching targets to connect with target groups.
3. On piloting new approaches…
The Executive should consider what can be learned from the Business Learning Accounts ( BLA) pilots (due to end Autumn 2005) and the pilot phase of the National Employer Training Programme in England (completed). In the medium term, the Wise Group and One Plus projects funded by the Executive and Jobcentre Plus' Employee Retention and Advancement pilot (see annex 4) may also be worth considering.
4. On providing appropriate levels of face-to-face support…
We recommend that Careers Scotland look specifically at the role of information, advice and guidance in the workplace 1. This should consider the benefits of advisors working with employers and employees and should look to the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment ( PACE partnerships) 2 as a model. They should report their findings to the Information, Advice and Guidance Delivery Group, chaired by the Executive.
5. On working with employers…
We recommend that greater effort is made to ensure that agencies' contacts with employers is co-ordinated, professional and relevant 3.
Public sector bodies should set and monitor targets to measure the impact of their workforce development policies on the progression of staff from lower grades of pay to higher grades and for them to look at the wider business benefits of doing so.
On engaging small businesses…
We recommend that learndirect scotland for business and the Enterprise Networks should continue to work together, using Futureskills Scotland's evidence as a basis, to progress a complementary strategy for effective engagement with SMEs.
We also recommend that the Executive and its agencies engage small businesses more effectively by utilising the small business connections that Colleges in Scotland have in their local areas.
6. On working with large organisations…
We recommend that IiP Scotland is asked to work with the Executive to help promote examples of good practice in large organisations.
7. On accredited qualifications…
Government, The Scottish Qualifications Authority ( SQA) and the Sector Skills Councils ( SSCs) must continue to work together within the context of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework ( SCQF), to ensure that accredited qualifications balance the needs of employers (for flexibility through unitised accreditation 4) and employees (where accreditation of informal and formal learning can be a motivating factor), and that they maintain their value and are understood by a wide range of employers.
8. On what needs further work…
We recommend that the Executive and its agencies should consider how they might influence low pay and a lack of investment in employees' skills through public procurement processes.
We recommend that the Executive-chaired Personal Learning Planning Network should be asked to consider the needs of those who are in low paid or low skilled work when they consider the results of the research in Autumn 2005.
Footnotes
1. The OECD, the European Commission and the World Bank, covering 36 countries in total, have recently carried out three co-ordinated reviews of national careers guidance policies. A key finding is the need to expand careers guidance services in the workplace. The OECD Report: "Rethinking human capital" (2002), suggests that 'less than half earnings variation in OECD countries can be accounted for by educational qualifications and skills, but that a significant part of the remainder might be explained by peoples' ability to build and manage their skills, including career planning, job search and other career management'
2. A Scottish Executive initiated co-ordinated agency response to large scale redundancy situations.
3. This links to the recommendations of the Employer Engagement Workstream.
4. this is particularly important in low skilled jobs where inflexible qualifications can be a powerful disincentive to employers investing in training