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This section includes publications from the UK Commission, a collection of collaborative outputs and the archive of SSDA publications.
Raising employer ambition
A review of occupational regulation and its impact
17 Oct 2011
Occupational regulation has been sorely under researched, particularly in the UK and Europe. This research, conducted by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, provides us with greater understanding. It introduces a sophisticated conceptual definition of occupational regulation; maps its different forms in the UK; and produces estimates on its prevalence and impact. The report also provides a discussion on the economic theory of occupational regulation and presents existing evidence on its nature and impact from the UK and further afield.
A review of occupational regulation and its impact - Executive summary
17 Oct 2011
This Review explores the nature and impact of occupational regulation. It provides a sophisticated definition of the term, regarding those mechanisms (licence to practice, registration, certification and accreditation) which set minimum prescribed skill standards. For the first time these various forms are comprehensively mapped in the UK, covering managerial, professional and non-professional occupations. This is used as the basis for providing estimates of the labour market impact (including skill levels, wages and employment). The Review also includes a discussion on the theory of occupational regulation and examines existing evidence from the UK and internationally.
Building Future Skills in Accountancy
29 Nov 2011
As a part of the government’s 2011 ‘Plan for Growth’ review, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills was asked to investigate whether the accountancy profession has the skills it needs to support current and future economic growth. The report shows through notable case studies that there are high levels of innovation across the profession in securing the workforce skills it needs. The report recommends changes to the current arrangements for designing Apprenticeships in order to continue to secure the skills that can deliver economic growth for the profession and support the economy as a whole.
Developing Leadership and Management Skills through Employer Networks - Report
9 Aug 2010
In Towards Ambition 2020: Skills, Jobs, Growth the UK Commission recommended that the development of effective leadership and management in small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs) should be a stronger priority for Government business support programmes – with an enhanced focus on effective human capital development to improve their capability to develop their workforce in support of business goals.
High Performance Working: A Policy Review
10 May 2010
This Evidence Report presents the results of a Policy Review that scopes the current field of the most relevant, core initiatives and support available to organisations in the UK, to promote and assist in the adoption of High Performance Working (HPW) practices. It is one of four research components of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills’ skills utilisation project.
High Performance Working: A Policy Review: Executive Summary
10 May 2010
This Evidence Report presents the results of a Policy Review that scopes the current field of the most relevant, core initiatives and support available to organisations in the UK, to promote and assist in the adoption of High Performance Working (HPW) practices. It is one of four research components of the UK Commission’s skills utilisation project.
High Performance Working: A Synthesis of Key Literature
3 Aug 2009
This Evidence Report synthesises the key recent research evidence on the theme of High Performance Working (HPW), setting out clearly the current state of knowledge on the topic, and identifying research gaps and policy questions.
High Performance Working: A Synthesis of Key Literature - Executive Summary
3 Aug 2009
This Evidence Report synthesises the key recent research evidence on the theme of High Performance Working (HPW), setting out clearly the current state of knowledge on the topic, and identifying research gaps and policy questions.
High Performance Working: Case Studies Analytical Report
14 May 2010
This Evidence Report is a key output from the Skills Utilisation project led by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. This project has looked at how High Performance Working (HPW) can help to ensure skills are better used in UK workplaces. In the report HPW is defined as a general approach to managing organisations that aims to stimulate more effective employee involvement and commitment to achieve high levels of performance.
High Performance Working: Case Studies Analytical Report: Executive Summary
14 May 2010
This Evidence Report is a key output from the Skills Utilisation project led by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. This project has looked at how High Performance Working (HPW) can help to ensure skills are better used in UK workplaces.
High Performance Working: Developing a Survey Tool
7 Sep 2009
The development of a longitudinal employer based survey tool is one of three linked subprojects commissioned by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills within a project concerned with Skills Utilisation in the UK.
High Performance Working: Developing a Survey Tool - Executive Summary
7 Sep 2009
The development of a longitudinal employer based survey tool is one of three linked subprojects commissioned by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills within a project concerned with Skills Utilisation in the UK.
High Performance Working: Employer Case Studies
13 May 2010
This Evidence Report is a key output from the Skills Utilisation project led by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. This project has looked at how High Performance Working (HPW) can help to ensure skills are better used in UK workplaces. In the report HPW is defined as a general approach to managing organisations that aims to stimulate more effective employee involvement and commitment to achieve high levels of performance.
Maximising employment and skills in the offshore wind supply chain
11 Aug 2011
This report examines how to maximize employment opportunities in the offshore wind energy sector and its supply chain. By using a sector-specific approach it explores the issues associated with an emerging sector and its contribution to rebalancing the economy. The report includes analysis of the size, location and timing of the main employment opportunities and examines potential skills issues and barriers to effective supply-side response. It offers an assessment of possible action by government, employers and training providers, including lessons for other emerging sectors. The second volume contains two in-depth supply chain case studies of existing offshore wind farms.
Maximising employment and skills in the offshore wind supply chain - Executive summary
11 Aug 2011
This summary highlights the key findings from the report maximising employment and skills in the offshore wind energy sector and its supply chain.
Praxis: Encouraging small firms to invest in training: learning from overseas
8 Jun 2010
More adults engage in learning at work than anywhere else, and given that businesses with fewer than 25 workers account for over 90% of all employers in the UK, both the quantity and quality of the training available is of critical importance.
Praxis: Working to learn, learning to work
10 Jan 2011
Why do some workplaces create ‘expansive’ learning environments, whilst others are more ‘restrictive’? In this edition of Praxis, Alan Felstead, Alison Fuller, Nick Jewson and Lorna Unwin, explore this question through six case studies.
Rebalancing the economy sectorally and spatially: An evidence review
11 Aug 2011
This report reviews national and international evidence on the rationale, impact and effectiveness of government intervention to rebalance the economy sectorally and spatially in the UK and abroad. It draws on five international case studies and seeks to apply policy lessons from the evidence, including understanding the role of, and implications for, employment and skills policy in supporting objectives of economic rebalancing.
Rebalancing the economy sectorally and spatially: An evidence review - Executive summary
11 Aug 2011
This summary highlights the key findings from the international evidence review rebalancing the economy spatially and sectorally.
Review of Employer Collective Measures - Executive Summary
9 Nov 2009
This document provides a brief summary of the final report on the Collective Measures study. It sets out the prioritised policy options and a series of over-arching principles in seeking to enhance employer investment in skills.
Review of Employer Collective Measures: A Conceptual Review from a Public Policy Perspective
2 Nov 2009
This first in the series of reports on the Collective Measures study reviews the conceptual literature concerning employer investment in skills; factors that impact on the decision to train within firms and the rationale for government intervention.
Review of Employer Collective Measures: A Conceptual Review from a Public Policy Perspective - Executive Summary
2 Nov 2009
This provides a summary of the review of conceptual literature which provides the basis of the Collective Measures study.
Review of Employer Collective Measures: Empirical Review
9 Nov 2009
How extensive is employer investment in skills? Do some firms train more than others? What motivates or prevents employers from providing training to their staff? This second report in the Collective Measures series reviews the empirical evidence regarding the extent of training in the UK and internationally and looks at some of the reasons for this.
Review of Employer Collective Measures: Empirical Review - Executive Summary
9 Nov 2009
This summarises the main findings from the review of empirical evidence on the extent of employer provided training. It is the second in the series of five Collective Measures reports.
Review of Employer Collective Measures: Final Report
9 Nov 2009
This final report in the Collective Measures series summarises the evidence reviewed and collected through the study and presents the UK Commission's advice on the most effective collective policy levers to encourage employer investment in skills. Alongside the main policy areas are some important over-arching principles in the effective design and implementation of employer-facing skills policies.
Review of Employer Collective Measures: Policy Prioritisation
16 Nov 2009
A series of prioritised policy options, identified through the literature and policy reviews, were presented to almost 100 stakeholders across the UK as part of the Collective Measures study. This fourth report in the series highlights the main discussion points and implications for further policy development in encouraging employer investment in skills.
Review of Employer Collective Measures: Policy Prioritisation - Executive Summary
16 Nov 2009
This summary presents the key points and implications of the Policy Prioritisation Events held across the UK to discuss the policy options emerging from the Collective Measures study.
Review of Employer Collective Measures: Policy Review
16 Nov 2009
This report reviews the impact of 'Collective Measures' in the UK and abroad in order to assess what might be the most effective policy levers in the UK, taking into account the conceptual and empirical context set out in the preceding reports in the Collective Measures series.
Review of Employer Collective Measures: Policy Review - Executive Summary
16 Nov 2009
This document summarises the available evaluative evidence on the implementation of some of the main 'Collective Measures' and identifies prioritised policy options.
Sector Skills Insights : Education
2 Aug 2012
This project is central to the UK Commission’s ambition to transform the UK’s approach to investing in the skills of our people. It outlines the performance challenges faced in the education sector, the ‘real-life’ skills solutions implemented by leading and successful businesses to overcome them, and the benefits from doing so.
Sector Skills Insights : Professional and Business Services
2 Aug 2012
This project is central to the UK Commission’s ambition to transform the UK’s approach to investing in the skills of our people. It outlines the performance challenges faced in the professional and business services sector, the ‘real-life’ skills solutions implemented by leading and successful businesses to overcome them, and the benefits from doing so.
Sector Skills Insights : Retail
27 Jul 2012
This project is central to the UK Commission’s ambition to transform the UK’s approach to investing in the skills of our people. It outlines the performance challenges faced in the retail sector, the ‘real-life’ skills solutions implemented by leading and successful businesses to overcome them, and the benefits from doing so.
Sector Skills Insights : Tourism
2 Aug 2012
This project is central to the UK Commission’s ambition to transform the UK’s approach to investing in the skills of our people. It outlines the performance challenges faced in the tourism sector, the ‘real-life’ skills solutions implemented by leading and successful businesses to overcome them, and the benefits from doing so.
Skills and the Small Firm: A Research and Policy Briefing
1 Jun 2010
This paper examines the debate over training in small firms. SMEs are vital for addressing the national training picture.
The Value of Skills: An Evidence Review
5 Jul 2010
This report supports our mission is to raise skill levels to help drive enterprise, create more and better jobs and economic growth. It does so by highlighting the economic and wider benefits available to individuals, firms and countries for investing in skills and is therefore an important resource to the UK Commission’s work to make and win the argument for skills.
Towards Ambition 2020: skills, jobs, growth
5 Oct 2009
The UK Commission has just published ‘Towards Ambition 2020: skills, jobs, growth’. This is a report which contains our advice to government on how the UK’s education, employment and skills systems could be simplified, made more effective and become more responsive to the needs of their customers.
Towards Ambition 2020: skills, jobs, growth for Scotland
8 Feb 2010
Scotland’s future prospects – its route out of recession, its chances of a successful recovery, and sustainable economic progress thereafter – depend on the industries, businesses and jobs it is able to create, and on having the skilled workforce it needs to do those jobs well.
Tuag at Uchelgais 2020: sgiliau, swyddi, twf
7 Dec 2009
Mae rhagolygon y DU i’r dyfodol – ein llwybr allan o’r dirwasgiad, ein cyfleoedd am adferiad llwyddiannus a chynnydd economaidd cynaliadwy wedi hynny – yn ddibynnol ar y diwydiannau a’r swyddi yr ydym ni’n medru eu creu, ac ar gael y gweithlu medrus sydd ei hangen arnom i wneud y swyddi hynny’n dda.
Understanding Employer Networks
22 Feb 2013
Employer networks represent an important potential lever for harnessing and increasing employer investment in skills. This report develops our understanding of employer networks in the UK with a skills and / or innovation focus. The study draws on a literature review, online mapping exercise, small scale online and telephone survey; and, eight case studies which illustrate how networks function and operate; the drivers, and nature, of employer engagement; and the type of impact they have.
What’s the deal? The employer voice in the employment and skills system
3 Aug 2010
It is widely accepted that we need to create a demand-led employment and skills system where employers are empowered to shape the system through their purchasing choices: ‘employer choice’. However, ‘employer voice’ still has an important role to play. Employers use many different channels to influence the system, but are often frustrated by the pace of change and the level of impact they are able to make.
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