Qualitative Evaluation of the Women and Work Sector Pathways Initiative
This final report has been prepared by the Policy Research Institute (Leeds Metropolitan University) for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. It complements an earlier Interim Report prepared and published by the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) in November 2007.
Qualitative Evaluation of the Women and Work Sector Pathways Initiative (PDF, 351 Kb)
Published December 2009
This final report has been prepared by the Policy Research Institute (Leeds Metropolitan University) for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. It complements an earlier Interim Report prepared and published by the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) in November 2007. The SSDA, which originally managed the WWSPI, merged with the National Employment Panel to become the new UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES). UKCES was launched in
April 2008 and retained management of the Initiative and is now taking the lead in embedding the learning from the pilot phase into a recently established longer-term programme. The Skills for Business Network, which consisted of the SSDA and the SSCs, was also dissolved at this time. The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils is the new organisation which comprises all 25 licensed UK Sector Skills Councils.
The Women and Work Sector Pathways Initiative (WWSPI) aims to establish a small number of pilot projects providing innovative solutions to remove the barriers women face in getting on in the workplace, whilst at the same time reducing the skills gaps in the workforce.
Policy Context
Two interrelated policy agendas are at the heart of the WWSPI – those set out by the Women and Work Commission and the Leitch Review of Skills.
The Women and Work Commission reported in February 2006, drawing attention to the continuing existence of the pay and opportunity gap for women; and making forty recommendations aimed at bringing about culture change and maximising the potential contribution of women in the workforce. Following this, the Government Action Plan was published in September 2006, identifying a range of proposals, one of which was for the WWSPI. The Leitch Review of Skills, also published in 2006, highlighted the importance of skills as a means of unlocking individual potential, as well as a source of competitive advantage. The focus of the review is on training and skills for adults in response to analysis which recognises that 70 per cent of the 2020 workforce is already beyond the age of compulsory education, and needs to take steps to upskill to be able to compete in the labour market in the future. Treating employers and individuals as customers is central to the ‘demand-led’ approach to education and training advocated by Leitch and the Government.
