Skills: shared outcomes framework

How Has our Thinking Evolved?

9. The Phase 2 Report of the Enterprise and Skills Review on Skills Alignment set out the intended benefits as being;

• Learners will be able to access provision which enables them to develop the skills required to contribute to a highly productive workforce.
• Employers will experience reductions in skills gaps and improvements in the skills of their workforce.
• Through collaboration, the capacity of colleges, universities and training providers will be developed and deployed to maximum effect.
• Duplication in public funding will be addressed, leading to more efficient investment in human capital through the education and skills system, and the upskilling and reskilling of existing workers

10. The National Strategy for Economic Transformation takes account of our changed economic context as a result of Covid and EU Exit and sets a clear direction of travel for action on skills. As such, NSET describes the evolution of previous thinking into three programmes of work directed towards ensuring that people have the skills they need at every stage of life to have rewarding careers and meet the demands of an ever changing economy and society.

The three programmes of activity as described in the NSET will support;

• Adapting the education and skills system to make it more agile and responsive to our economic needs and ambitions;
• Supporting and incentivising individuals and employers to invest in skills and training throughout their working lives; and
• Expansion of Scotland’s available talent pool at all skill levels.

11. As we have sought to implement the original ambition for skills alignment, our collective understanding of skills issues has evolved. This is reflected in the shape and nature of the collaborative projects currently being progressed. This activity now builds on the learning from previous pilots and will provide the baseline for the test of change that is needed to expand these approaches to different sectors and regions.