UKCES

Skills and employment policy in the UK has responded to global competition by developing a clear vision and setting goals for the development of a highly skilled working age population, able to compete effectively in higher value market places. At the same time lower skilled and lower paid industries are increasingly seen as the preserve of emerging economies – as part of a linear evolutionary process.

In this edition of Praxis, Phil Brown, David Ashton and Hugh Lauder argue that this policy approach is based on a dated conception of globalisation. A fundamental shift is required to meet the challenges raised by the current phase of globalisation in which transnational companies can locate almost every element of their operation, including higher skilled roles and functions, across the globe.

Policy makers need a greater understanding of global trends and an ability to see beyond a “national-centric view of the world.” At the heart of this paper is the argument that an increased supply of skills is not enough on its own to secure the UK’s position at the high value end of production or to sustain its competitive advantage.

In a market where employers are no longer reliant on national skills structures, the UK’s ability to compete will come from a shift in its ‘policy mentality’ requiring a greater focus on demand side policy and a more proactive approach to engaging with employers and understanding and meeting their needs. Government, the authors assert, must take a more active role including a focus on job creation and job quality, alongside issues of labour supply.