Our priority outcomes

Outcome 1: More employers investing in the skills of their people
Outcome 2: More career opportunities for young people
Outcome 3: More collective action by employers through stronger sectors and local networks
Outcome 4: More employers stepping up and taking ownership of skills

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Outcome 1

Whilst the majority of businesses do invest in their people’s skills, there is significant scope for improvement. Around 40% of businesses don’t invest at all in any one year. There are substantial variations between different sectors and size of businesses, and levels of investment are uneven in their reach, excluding key parts of the workforce.

There are also questions around management and leadership and how we utilise staff. Only 29% of businesses achieve higher performance working, whilst 40% of people report that their skills are under-utilised.

This outcome will use our research to develop compelling stories that grab attention and promote a call to action to increase employers investment in the skills of their people.

Key deliverables

• Attention grabbing “stories” are developed from our research, and kept fresh, to promote a positive call to action
• The effectiveness of the stories are piloted in key sectors with potential, through at least eight Investors in People and other business and professional networks by end Q1
• Subject to a successful pilot, the calls to action are used to promote investment through wider business networks in sectors with potential (Q2 – 4), resulting in innovative, high quality bids to our investment funds
• Our Commissioners, through their networks, have communicated our stories to key audiences and ensured our call to action has greater investment focused on impact
• The number of businesses working with Investors in People in the promoted sectors has increased relative to other businesses by Q4, indicating that employers are starting to change their behaviour

Commissioner team

Lead Commissioner: Jeremy Anderson CBE , Chairman, Global Financial Services, KPMG
Julie Kenny CBE DL, Chairman & Chief Executive, Pyronix Ltd
Lucy Adams, Director of Business Operations, BBC
Dr. Deirdre Hughes OBE, Lead Consultant, European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network
Scott Waddington, Chief Executive, SA Brain & Co Ltd

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Outcome 2

Over 1 in 5 (1.5m) young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training, including 0.25m unemployed for over a year. By 2022 this will result in c. £28 billion in costs to the exchequer & lost output to the economy, on top of the human & social costs.

Opportunities for young people to get in and move up in the workplace are diminishing – under a quarter of employers recruit young people straight from education. Work experience needs to be reinvented as an integral part of the transition from education into work.

Under this outcome, the Commission will set out and promote a compelling business case, particularly for small employers, for offering more opportunities to young people.

Key deliverables

• The challenge is clearly defined through a series of four Commissioner reports on the changing nature of work for young people and what it means for employers, published by end of Q1
• A strategy and targeted delivery plan for a call to action is in place by Q1
• The scope of the Commission’s competitive investment funds is extended, resulting in increased investment in employer owned work experience and career opportunity solutions for young people by Q4
• The Commission has received new investment proposals from at least 10 to 12 sectors and localities that feature employability, recruitment and/or progression of young people by Q4
• Three to five Employer Ownership pilots feature work experience solutions for young people by Q2
• A newInvestors in People product is developed by Q3 to help promote the benefits of high quality recruitment practices
• Contributed to the development of resource materials for career practitioners by Q4

Commissioner team

Lead Commissioner: Liz Sayce OBE, Chief Executive, Disability Rights UK
Seyi Obakin, Chief Executive, Centrepoint
Julie Kenny, CBE DL, Chairman & Chief Executive, Pyronix Ltd
Valerie Todd, Director of talent and Resources, Crossrail Ltd
Lord Victor Adebowale, Chief Executive, Turning Point
Dr. Deirdre Hughes OBE, Lead Consultant, European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network
Dr Bill McGinnis CBE DL, N.Ireland Advisor, Employment and Skills

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Outcome 3

Strong employer commitment and leadership is vital if there is to be collective action by employers to tackle the big skills challenges in their sectors and localities and deliver the skills solutions required for economic growth.

The Commission will work with networks of ambitious employers to create the conditions needed for them to invest more in skills by encouraging the development of sustainable employer-owned infrastructure to deliver skills solutions which drive jobs and growth.

Key deliverables

• We have a clear understanding about where there are gaps in employer-led infrastructure in sectors (by Q2) and localities where there is strong potential for growth
• The Commission has actively supported the development of innovative investment proposals to address these gaps and has invested in at least a total of 35 employer networks of all sizes, working through sector networks, supply chains and local networks by Q4
• Growth and Innovation Fund investment spend on high quality proposals in 2012-13 has increased by £28m by Q4, and is achieving cash and in-kind leverage of at least 40%
• There is evidence that the investment portfolio is being actively managed, with funding being redirected from low to high performing investments by Q3
• 40% of the Employer Investment Fund phase 1 investments have yielded sustainable results by end of Q4
• More employers are working with Investors in People, as a business improvement tool, leading to greater take-up of sector skills solutions at an individual company level
• Employers and networks are testing and sharpening the relevance of National Occupational Standards as part of their collective skills and employment solutions (including Apprenticeships)

Commissioner team

Lead Commissioner: Toby Peyton-Jones, Director of HR, Siemens UK & North West Europe
Valerie Todd, Director of Talent and Resources, Crossrail Ltd
Sean Taggart, Owner & Chief Executive, The Albatross Group
Lord Victor Adebowale, Chief Executive, Turning Point
Grahame Smith, General Secretary, Scottish Trade Union Congress
Professor John Coyne, Vice Chancellor, University of Derby
Dr Bill McGinnis CBE, Northern Ireland Adviser on Employment and Skills

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Outcome 4

To achieve sustainable growth, employers of all sizes must have the space to step up and work within their supply chains and business networks with employees and providers to develop the skills they need.

This must be framed within a skills agenda which is employer rather than government owned.

This outcome aims to test this approach by piloting and evaluating the principles of employer ownership of skills.

Key deliverables

• A balanced portfolio of significant, innovative Employer Ownership proposals supported in Phase 1 to test the principles (by Q2) and an agreed commissioning approach for Phase 2 by Q3
• Early evidence from the Phase 1 pilots has been evaluated with employers, colleges, training providers and governments, to assess their achievements to date and future potential impact by Q3
• Principles established about how a mainstreamed model could work by Q4
• Evidence has been provided to government which demonstrates how greater employer ownership of skills can be achieved, challenges government policies that are getting in the way, and showcases employer ownership best practice by Q3.

Commissioner team

Lead Commissioner: Nigel Whitehead, Group Managing Director, BAE Systems
Prof. John Coyne, Vice Chancellor, University of Derby
James Wates, Deputy Chairman, Wates Group Ltd.
Tony Lau-Walker, Chief Executive Officer, Eastleigh College
Seyi Obakin, Chief Executive, Centrepoint
Dave Prentis, General Secretary, UNISON

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