National Skills Strategy Launched in England
On 7th March 2006, Tourism Minister Shaun Woodward MP together with People 1st launched Raising the Bar, the employer-led National Skills Strategy for the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism (HLTT) sector.
The National Skills Strategy aims to align education and training with employers' skill needs and ensure the skills system is funded and supported appropriately. It sets out how public and private parties can collaborate in developing a professional workforce with high self-esteem, capable of delivering world class customer service by 2012 and contributing to the sustained prosperity of the HLTT industries.
Over 5000 businesses have contributed to the development of this strategy, the culmination of the largest piece of labour market research into the HLTT sector for three decades. This work has been overseen by a series of Skills Summits, chaired by Tourism Minister James Purnell MP and now Mr Woodward. At these summits, a wide range of partners and stakeholders – including the Learning and Skills Council and regional development agencies – have debated employers' skills needs. They agreed on the need for national co-ordination, coherence and consistency in the planning and funding of skills development and training, and endorse and support the National Skills Strategy launched today. Raising the Bar is the first industry wide response to the Department of Culture Media and Sport's (DCMS) Welcome > Legacy consultation on tourism strategy for the 2102 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. It is the first step in a campaign to reap the tourism legacy from the Olympic Games and highlights the challenges, vision and action required to succeed. A document outlining the detailed strategy and collaborative commitments of industry, stakeholders and partners will also be published shortly.
At the launch, the Minister chaired a panel discussion on the key challenges facing the HLTT sector and Raising the Bar's ambitious vision for change. The ambition is to achieve significant skills improvements through a Ten Point Action Plan focusing on areas including management and leadership, chefs and customer service. The strategy also aims to improve staff retention rates by supporting and developing existing employees, making them aware of the excellent career development opportunities in the sector and encouraging them to have high aspirations on skills. Why the urgency? The Leitch Review of Skills published in December 2006, recommends that the UK commits to becoming a world leader in skills by 2020, benchmarked against the upper quartile of the OECD. In order to achieve these goals it means doubling attainment at most levels of skill. Responsibility for achieving ambitions must be shared between Government, employers and individuals.
The Review sets out a compelling vision for the UK. It shows that the UK must urgently raise achievements at all levels of skills and calls for significant improvement in skill levels and attitudes towards training by 2010 if the UK is to become a world leader in skills by 2020. It calls for a new ‘Pledge' for employers to voluntarily commit to train employees up to Level 2 in the workplace. And if, by 2010, improvement has been insufficient the Review calls for a statutory entitlement to workplace training at Level 2 in consultation with employers and unions. Our collaborative actions between now and 2010 can ensure there is no need for a statutory requirement. 2012: Skills improvements need to be made in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. A warm and friendly welcome in only achievable if we develop and train people to deliver an excellent visitor experience.
“This is the first skills strategy for tourism”, added Minister for Tourism, Shaun Woodward, “It brings together Government, industry and the education sector in a drive to overhaul training and qualifications. This is a fantastic opportunity to boost skill levels and change attitudes towards training. It is also crucial to ensure that visitors in 2012 come back time and time again. The hard work starts now. I want to see everyone committed to implementing this vision.”
Skills Minister, Phil Hope, said "The National Skills Strategy vision provides us with an unprecedented opportunity to improve skills and productivity levels across the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries. Its ten-point plan of action is ambitious but, I believe, achievable if we take shared responsibility for delivery. The importance of the Strategy to the UK economy cannot be underestimated - it is your opportunity to make a real difference and help us bring about a wider cultural change in the nation's attitudes to skills."
On the panel was Nick Varney of Merlin Entertainment, who said “Merlin supports and has invested in the UK Skills Passport as the single clear communication channel for Industry, Education and Government and is pleased to be working with People 1st in order to drive the skills agenda forward. This should help to highlight the wealth of development opportunities for people already in the industry and for those wishing to enter this exciting and dynamic sector”
