1. Workforce Learning Dr Caroline Lloyd ESRC centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) Cardiff School of Social Science

2. The context Our vision… is of a strong and enterprising economy with full employment based on high-quality, highly- skilled jobs significant progress in improving skills… we need to go further and faster if we are to maximise our future economic growth and create a society where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Skills will make the biggest difference … when they are used effectively in the workplace. (Skills That Work for Wales 2008:pp1-2)

3. Assumptions 1. Employers being held back by lack of skills 2. Skill demands inevitably rising 3. Qualifications = success & protection

4. Skill shortages or poor quality jobs? Limited skill shortages in Wales 4% of establishments had skill shortage vacancies (lack qualifications, experience or skills) 6% of employees have skills gap (UK 3/4 new recruits/recently promoted Source: Future Skills Wales Survey 2005

5. Under-utilisation of skills Over half of employees considered the skills they possessed were higher than those required to do their current job. (Workplace Employment Relations Survey 2004: Kersley et al 2006:86)

7. Key issues Skill utilisation Social partnership? Learning for what? Public sector – a lead role?

8. A positive example? The NHS Health Care Assistants Job ladders improved NVQ2 & 3 New intermediary posts Secondment to nurse training Limited reward (pay) Lack of posts Cleaners Job ladders improved NVQ1 No incentives to train Outsourcing barrier to progression

9. Possible Questions How far can and should unions link learning to skill utilisation? – workplace/ sector/ Wales How useful are existing models, eg. skills escalator? What about the cost?