1. Welcome Meeting the Skills Challenge Andrew Cheal Acting Area Director LSC Northamptonshire

2. The Public Services Collective Challenge Drivers The public services sector encompasses a large and diverse range of sub sectors Public services cannot choose its markets; businesses or clients Public services are subject to a continuous range of policy drivers, legislation and regulation Structure Large, complex and dominant in most local economies. Significant internal and external supply chain.

3. The Public Services Collective Challenge Demographics and the ‘time bomb’….. less than 7% of staff are aged 25 years or less and 45% are aged over 45 years. Within twenty years nearly half the sector will have retired, leaving a substantial gap in skills and experience. 50% less than the economic norm of employees under age 25 30% more than the economic norm of employees over age 50

4. Leading the Way..? Through Train to Gain : Apprenticeships There are currently nearly a quarter of a million apprentices working in over 130,000 organisations in England alone, across 80 different sectors of industry. Public Services represent less than one in ten. Skills Pledge Since June 2007, 714 organisations have made a commitment to the Skills Pledge – covering 3.15 million employees. Barely three in every ten come from Public Service Employers Skills for Life Progress to the 2010 target of 2.25m improving their basic skills is well underway. Response from Public Services employers is essential

5. Taking Collective Action - Benefits Preparing for the Future –Being ready for changing client/customer needs –Continuing to upskill where most needed, inc higher level skills –Achieving real measurable impact – in the local context –Changing culture, changing prospective/current employee perceptions Maximising Resources –Aligning and targeting funding and effort –New evidence of demand - Deal for a Deal –Joint Investment Framework in Health –Establishing Train to Gain provision – independent brokerage and network of providers –Sharing successful practice

6. Taking Collective Action - Benefits Exceeding Government Expectations –Across Government, Public Services are challenged and expected to lead the way –‘World Class Skills’ laid a challenge to Public Services employers. Government will take action. –The National Apprenticeships Review will set a new challenge for Public Services –Skills Pledge uptake is rising steadily, but from a strong start Public Services is falling behind the private sector

7. Model for the Public Sector Joint Investment Framework Key Features Partnership 3 year agreement for ‘matched funding’ Delivery Infrastructure, brokerage, communications Commitment to the skills pledge Flexibility–local relevance and ownership Monitoring and evaluation Med/long term sustainability

8. The NHS Model Workforce Leads working with employers identify: Workforce skills needs (bands 1 to 4) Training / qualification types Learner numbers and characteristics Staff eligible for LSC funding Train to Gain process LSC approved providers Staff ineligible for LSC funding (funded by SHA/Employer or from other funding sources) Providers of employers’ choice JIF Partnership Manager

9. Why have the NHS done this? A clearly articulated workforce development plan as part of public sector reform; Demand from the NHS for skills and qualifications drives the behaviour of providers to respond to NHS needs; Stretches NHS workforce development resources by using the public entitlement to funding to address some needs – releasing more funds to do specialised, customised training.

10. The Deal from the LSC Access to independent and impartial brokerage; Access to quality assured providers to meet your needs; Access to financial support for learning: No cost learning for skills for life; No cost learning for any staff to achieve their first full level 2 qualification; Subsidy towards staff achieving a full level 3 qualification (62.5% currently); Major subsidy towards the development of an Apprentice (all ages)

11. The benefits of the Skills Pledge A public display of your commitment to the development and qualification of your workforce; A framework to assess workforce needs; Support from an independent broker (if required) to assist with organisational needs development; A costed action plan that clearly defines your entitlement to public funding

12. Public Sector Compact next steps Taking opportunities to identify needs and upskill current and future workforce; Develop a cohesive approach to meet the needs of local public sector employers; Benchmark and share good practice across partner organisations; Chance to shape the provision available to meet priority demands for your sector; Access to public support and funding.

13. Interested? For Skills Pledge contact Marilyn Saddington (EMB Broker) on Marilyn.Saddington@eastmidlandsbusiness. Marilyn.Saddington@eastmidlandsbusiness co.uk or www.traintogain.co.uk/skillspledge;www.traintogain.co.uk/skillspledge For further information on Northamptonshire Public Sector Compact contact clare.reynolds@lsc.gov.uk For Joint Investment Framework discussions contact Eryl Prentice at the LSC on eryl.prentice@lsc.gov.uk