Leitch Review
Encyclopedia
The Leitch Review of Skills was an independent review by Lord Sandy Leitch, the Chairman of the National Employment Panel, commissioned by the British Government in 2004, 'to identify the UK’s optimal skill
s mix for 2020 to maximise economic growth
, productivity
and social justice
, set out the balance of responsibility for achieving that skills profile and consider the policy framework required to support it.'
The final report, published at the end of 2006 recommended that UK should urgently and dramatically raise achievements at all levels of skills and recommended that it commit to becoming a world leader in skills by 2020, as benchmarked against the upper quartile of the OECD - effectively a doubling of attainment at most skill levels.
due to poor levels of literacy
and numeracy
in some sections of the workforce, and due to the UK's relatively poor international position in intermediate level skills and productivity. The Government's 2004 pre-budget document Skills in the global economy identified that this was reflected in the relatively low proportion of young people remaining in education after the age of 16, together with limited skills progression and training
to higher levels once in work. As a result of such concerns it was announced in the 2004 Pre-Budget Report
that Lord Leitch had been jointly commissioned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer
and the Education Secretary
to prepare a report.
The Report found that the UK currently ranked 12th out of 18 comparative members of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). The Report states that by 2020:
The Leitch Report emphasises the necessity of shared responsibility: employers and individuals, as well as the government, should increase their investment in training and education. Employers and individuals should contribute most to training which gives them ‘private’ benefits, while government investment should focus on promoting basic skills for everyone.
A significant change recommended by Leitch is that the provision of vocational education and training should be demand-led, adaptable and responsive. Employers should therefore be directly involved in deciding what training priorities should be. Targeted individuals will also be empowered to purchase the type of training they need through the introduction of Skills Accounts.
following Leitch's recommendation to ‘depoliticise’ the skills agenda by securing a broad political and stakeholder consensus for the UK’s world-class ambitions for 2020 and beyond.
Following the report, there has already been a significant change in the government’s approach to training for young people and adults. The 14–19 age group has seen an increase in the number of publicly funding training opportunities. The government is also introducing an entitlement for 14–19 year-olds to access training across a range of education providers to widen the choice of subjects available.
Diplomas, the International Baccalaureate and Apprenticeships are all part of this agenda. Other policies include raising the statutory age at which young people leave full-time education to 18 and encouraging collaboration between neighbouring education institutions.
The greatest changes will be in adult education and will involve a much greater competitive element to provision, funding and custom.
Some 5 months after publication of the review, the CBI
, employers and Skills Envoy Sir Digby Jones
criticised the Government over their delay in implementing the 'Skills Pledge', which Leitch recommended all employers should sign, committing them to training all their workers to Level 2 by 2010.
Skill
A skill is the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific skills...
s mix for 2020 to maximise economic growth
Economic growth
In economics, economic growth is defined as the increasing capacity of the economy to satisfy the wants of goods and services of the members of society. Economic growth is enabled by increases in productivity, which lowers the inputs for a given amount of output. Lowered costs increase demand...
, productivity
Productivity
Productivity is a measure of the efficiency of production. Productivity is a ratio of what is produced to what is required to produce it. Usually this ratio is in the form of an average, expressing the total output divided by the total input...
and social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
, set out the balance of responsibility for achieving that skills profile and consider the policy framework required to support it.'
The final report, published at the end of 2006 recommended that UK should urgently and dramatically raise achievements at all levels of skills and recommended that it commit to becoming a world leader in skills by 2020, as benchmarked against the upper quartile of the OECD - effectively a doubling of attainment at most skill levels.
Background
The Leitch Review was launched due to concerns over the ability of UK to compete in the increasingly globalised marketsGlobalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
due to poor levels of literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
and numeracy
Numeracy
Numeracy is the ability to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts. A numerically literate person can manage and respond to the mathematical demands of life...
in some sections of the workforce, and due to the UK's relatively poor international position in intermediate level skills and productivity. The Government's 2004 pre-budget document Skills in the global economy identified that this was reflected in the relatively low proportion of young people remaining in education after the age of 16, together with limited skills progression and training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
to higher levels once in work. As a result of such concerns it was announced in the 2004 Pre-Budget Report
Pre-Budget Report
In the United Kingdom, the Autumn Statement, at times the Summer Statement and the Pre-Budget Report , is one of the two statements HM Treasury makes each year to Parliament upon publication of economic forecasts, the other being the annual Budget...
that Lord Leitch had been jointly commissioned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
and the Education Secretary
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
The Secretary of State for Education is the chief minister of the Department for Education in the United Kingdom government. The position was re-established on 12 May 2010, held by Michael Gove....
to prepare a report.
Findings and recommendations
After an interim report, Skills in the UK: the long term challenge, published in December 2005, the final Leitch Report was published in December 2006 as Prosperity for all in the global economy – world class skills. It recommends that the UK should aim to be a world leader on skills by 2020, and suggested how that aim should be achieved.The Report found that the UK currently ranked 12th out of 18 comparative members of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). The Report states that by 2020:
- 95% of adults should have achieved the basic skills of functional literacyLiteracyLiteracy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
and numeracyNumeracyNumeracy is the ability to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts. A numerically literate person can manage and respond to the mathematical demands of life...
, an increase on 85% literacy and 79% numeracy in 2005; - more than 90% of adults should be qualified to at least Level 2National Qualifications FrameworkThe National Qualifications Framework is a credit transfer system developed for qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
(equivalent to five good GCSEs or their vocational equivalents), an increase from 69% in 2005, with a commitment to achieve 95% as soon as possible; - the balance of intermediate skills should have shifted from Level 2 to Level 3 (equivalent to two or more A Levels), which means achieving 1.9 million additional Level 3 attainments and 500,000 apprenticeshipApprenticeshipApprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
s; - more than 40% of adults should be qualified to Level 4 and above (equivalent to degreeAcademic degreeAn academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
-level qualifications), up from 29% in 2005.
The Leitch Report emphasises the necessity of shared responsibility: employers and individuals, as well as the government, should increase their investment in training and education. Employers and individuals should contribute most to training which gives them ‘private’ benefits, while government investment should focus on promoting basic skills for everyone.
A significant change recommended by Leitch is that the provision of vocational education and training should be demand-led, adaptable and responsive. Employers should therefore be directly involved in deciding what training priorities should be. Targeted individuals will also be empowered to purchase the type of training they need through the introduction of Skills Accounts.
Implementation
As a result of the Leitch Report the Government merged several organisations to form the UK Commission for Employment and SkillsUK Commission for Employment and Skills
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills is a non-departmental public body that provides advice on skills and employment policy to the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations.-History:...
following Leitch's recommendation to ‘depoliticise’ the skills agenda by securing a broad political and stakeholder consensus for the UK’s world-class ambitions for 2020 and beyond.
Following the report, there has already been a significant change in the government’s approach to training for young people and adults. The 14–19 age group has seen an increase in the number of publicly funding training opportunities. The government is also introducing an entitlement for 14–19 year-olds to access training across a range of education providers to widen the choice of subjects available.
Diplomas, the International Baccalaureate and Apprenticeships are all part of this agenda. Other policies include raising the statutory age at which young people leave full-time education to 18 and encouraging collaboration between neighbouring education institutions.
The greatest changes will be in adult education and will involve a much greater competitive element to provision, funding and custom.
Criticism
Because most public funding will be directed towards level 2 skills, adults wanting to augment their skills at levels 3 or 4 will have to pay more than at present. This has provoked debate about whether the ramifications of the Leitch Report will stifle the benefits of learning for learning’s sake.Some 5 months after publication of the review, the CBI
Confederation of British Industry
The Confederation of British Industry is a British not for profit organisation incorporated by Royal charter which promotes the interests of its members, some 200,000 British businesses, a figure which includes some 80% of FTSE 100 companies and around 50% of FTSE 350 companies.-Role:The CBI works...
, employers and Skills Envoy Sir Digby Jones
Digby Jones
Digby Marritt Jones, Baron Jones of Birmingham, Kt is a British businessman and politician, who has served as Director General of the CBI and Minister of State for Trade and Investment...
criticised the Government over their delay in implementing the 'Skills Pledge', which Leitch recommended all employers should sign, committing them to training all their workers to Level 2 by 2010.