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Government Skills Board Meeting on 31 March
Author: Sue Ferns, Created 05/04/2006 09:55:26
The Board of Government Skills met on 31 March. This was the first meeting after GS's official launch as a Sector Skills Council. Our discussion focussed on progress, priorities and target setting. The Chief Executive identified five priorities: 1) Starting work on a Sector Skills Agreement 2) Professional Skills for Government - An assessment is underway of the extent to which the Senior Civil Service currently meets the core skills requirements of the PSG Framework. In addition, PSG roll-out below Grade 7 is due to start this month. This is likely to be a challenging process, not least because operation of the framework at these levels is largely devolved to departments and agencies. 3) Improving data on skills gaps across the sector - an external contractor has been appointed to start this work. 4) Working with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to develop a strategy on Standards and Qualifications. 5) Deepening engagement with the Devolved Administrations, the Armed Forces and NDPB. Please do let me know if you have any views on these issues or would like to know more.
Comments:
Re: Government Skills Board Meeting on 31 March Author:Bookshake (at 04/05/2006 22:05:32)
I am writing to welcome the launch of Government Skills (which has been long over due). I am interested in knowing how you plan promote the aims of Government Skills to all Civil Servants. I am a branch union learning co-ordinator for PCS working in a contact centre for HM Revenue & Customs. As such I have developed a team of 8 union learning reps, been supported by the TUC Northern Regions and PCS regionally to open and sustain a workplace learning centre - we are a rarity. In fact one of my learning reps was involved in the recent Cabinet Office video (2) in launching Government Skills. That said I still battle with our local management to get them to recognise the importance of lifelong learning. I have recently made a formal business proposal to move our screening strategy to included tutoring as part of personal development within work time. The reponse I recieved was that as a government department it would be inappropriate to admit there were skills gaps!!! Gaps we have clearly already demonstrated exist and made steps to improve. Where grade 7's have that outlook, how do you propose to achieve the culture change needed??