IDS HR Study 744, February 2003

Learning & skills councils

• Examines the establishment of the national Learning & Skills Council and its network of 47 local councils which have replaced the previous system of training & enterprise councils
• Looks at how a number of individual LSCs have, in consultation with local employers, implemented strategies and taken initiatives to tackle the particular skill needs of their area.

The way training is organised nationally has recently undergone a major shake-up. The Learning & Skills Council (LSC) was launched in April 2001 to mastermind the task of giving a major boost to the nation's skills through a network of 47 local LSCs. This new IDS Study describes how the LSCs are structured, staffed and financed, looks at their main objectives and strategic plans, and discusses some of the early initiatives they have taken.

The development of the LSC network comes at a time when the Government is showing increasing concern about UK productivity lagging behind its main competitors. The need for upskilling the workforce has been further highlighted by a recent CBI/TUC report which reveals that the basic skills difficulties of seven million adults could be costing the UK economy as much as £10 billion a year. The Study looks at how the LSCs are trying to tackle these problems, after undertaking extensive consultation exercises with local employers and other interested parties and by developing effective partnerships with local organisations.

Drawing on five detailed case studies, this IDS Study explores how local LSCs - in Essex, Birmingham & Solihull, Hertfordshire, Central London and the Tees Valley - are working towards improving learning and training provision; expanding modern apprenticeships; developing workforce skills; increasing employer engagement; and implementing strategies to promote equality of opportunity. A further case study examines the parallel arrangements in Scotland, focusing particularly on Scottish Enterprise, Edinburg & Lothian. The Study also takes a brief look at sector skills councils which are gradually taking over the role of national training organisations in focusing on skills development in particular industrial sectors.