- About Policy Connect
- Policy Connect Activities
- National Skills Forum & Associate Parliamentary Skills Group
- Skills Commission
- Higher Education Commission
- Associate Parliamentary Health Group
- Chronic Pain Policy Coalition
- All Party Parliamentary Group on Chronic Pain
- Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group
- Westminster Sustainable Business Forum
- Sustainable Resource Forum
- Carbon Connect
- All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group
- Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group
- Associate Parliamentary Design & Innovation Group
- Mars & Pluto Financial Forum
- Contact Policy Connect
The Skills Commission meets monthly in Parliament to discuss the leading issues in skills, training and further education policy. The Commission is co-chaired by Barry Sheerman MP and Dame Ruth Silver. Commission members include parliamentarians from all the main parties, and highly experienced practitioners from across the skills sector.
New Research
Skills Commission launch new report
Download the report
In the Chancellor’s 2011 budget speech, he called for a “Britain carried aloft by the march of the makers”. But where are these makers going to come from? The UK currently employs 1,069,000 technicians, only 3.7% of its workforce compared to an EU average of 5.3%. Concurrently, China has increased its technicians seven fold over the past decade. To take advantage of new emerging markets and provide much needed new job opportunities, the UK must reconsider its technician and higher level skills training.
Our report, the result of a six month parliamentary inquiry, examines the role of university technical colleges, apprenticeships, further education colleges and universities in training technicians, and recommends that the government should develop a plan for STEM growth. The report concludes that if the UK economy is to become more production and export-led it must become more technician-led.
The report will be formally launched in Parliament on the afternoon of Thursday 13th October.
Read more
News
Skills Commission launches new report
13/10/11
Final report of technician and higher level skills inquiry published
Skills Commission visits Birmingham
15/04/11
Commission hears evidence on skills needs of regional economies
Skills Commission lauches new inquiry
15/03/11
Commission will look at technician and higher level skills
Skills Commission calls for unified teacher training system
23/02/10
Teacher Training in Vocational Education inquiry report published
Skills Commission report calls for greater progression routes for apprentices
19/03/09
Final report of the Skills Commission inquiry calls for greater opportunities for apprentices to progress into higher levels of learning.
People
Click here to find out more about members of the Skills Commission
.jpg)
Previous Research
Teacher Training in Vocational Education analyses initial teacher training and continuing professional development for teachers of vocational education in schools, further education and higher education. It recommends that a unified teacher training system, and a ‘universal QTS’ should be developed for all teachers across 14-19 education.
Find out more about Policy Connect |
 |