2. Towards skilling, upskilling and reskilling Jacqui Hepburn SSDA Manager Scotland Sector Skills Development Agency

3. Skills for Scotland, A Lifelong Skills Strategy “A cohesive lifelong learning system centred upon the individual but responsive to employer needs”

4. Skills for Scotland 3 Priorities  Individual development  Economic pull  Cohesive structures

5. Role of Sector Skills Councils  Develop proper engagement with broad spectrum of employers to speak legitimately on their behalf  Deliver sectoral LMI that is trusted, well used and comparable with Future Skills Scotland  Ensure that employers have a say in the design and development of qualifications at all levels and in all settings  Maintain strong partnerships with other key players in their sectors, and with Government, providers and intermediary bodies

6. Develop proper engagement with a broad spectrum of employers to speak legitimately on their behalf  Direct engagement with employers  Working through forums/groups facilitated by other organisations  Developing stronger partnerships with other employer representative bodies  Work with providers to enhance employer engagement

7. Deliver sectoral LMI that is trusted, well used and comparable with Futureskills Scotland.  Carry out robust labour market information for Scotland  Develop an agreement with Futureskills Scotland clarifies roles and responsibilities, and to agree future work  Disseminate LMI to stakeholders and other bodies to help inform strategic and operational planning.

8. Ensure that employers have a say in the design and development of qualifications at all levels and in all settings  Develop a national engagement strategy with SQA  Review what actions are required to engage with other awarding bodies

9. SfBn/SQA National Engagement Strategy  Role of Sector Skills Councils: Provision of evidence to support qualification development and review Engagement in the development and design of qualifications at key stages of the process Participation in the validation of the qualification Support the implementation of qualifications On going maintenance

10. Maintain strong partnerships with other key players in their sectors, and with Government, providers and intermediary bodies  Develop agreements with key stakeholders on engagement with SSCs, SQA, Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland, Economic Development Agencies, Scottish Funding Council, Colleges, HEIs, etc  Develop strategic relationships with employer bodies including, CBI, FSB, IOD, SCDI and the Chambers of Commerce

11. Changes to the Skills for Business Network in Scotland  Closure of SSDA  Setting up of the Commission for Employment and Skills  Establishment of ‘The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils’

12. Closure of SSDA  Announcement in Autumn 2006 about the setting up of the Commission for Employment and Skills  Organising the transfer of functions to the Commission for Employment and Skills and The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils.  Planning for the closure of SSDA on the 31 March 2007

13. Commission for Employment and Skills (1)  Assess progress toward the making UK a world-class leader in employment and skills by 2020, in the context of the aims and priorities of the four UK nations.  Work effectively across the four UK nations to support the world class employment and skills agenda  Advise Ministers in the four nations on the strategies and policies needed to increase employment, skills and productivity  Monitor the contribution of each part of the employment and skills system in creating sustained employment and career progression, challenging performance and recommending improvements in policy, delivery and further innovation, directly or as agreed with individual nations.

14. Commission for Employment and Skills (2)  Advise on the integration of employment and skills related services to ensure that they meet they needs of employers and individuals  Promote employer investment in people and the better use of their skills at all levels  Manage the performance of the Sector Skills Councils and advise Ministers on re-licensing.

15. The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils in Scotland  Provide leadership and a collective voice for the SSCs in Scotland for policy development, stakeholder engagement and for ‘having a seat at the table in Scotland’  Help the readiness of SSCs in order to support capacity and capability of SSCs  Develop and deliver an effective communications strategy on behalf of the SSCs, to promote good practise, facilitate relationship building and to raise the profile of SSCs, their work, and th3e network’s role in delivering the Government's Skills Strategy  Develop strategic stakeholder relationships on an individual and group to group basis