Status of Employer Curriculum Project

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8 November 06 Mike Hender
V 2.2 8 Nov 06
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Key Questions

• What's the problem this ML programme addresses?
• What's the evidence there is a problem?
• What does the long term picture look like - where
  are we trying to go?
• So what exactly is this programme, what's in it?
• What's different about this programme compared
  with previous Boards?
• What are the deliverables?
• Whats the offer? The value of this programme to
  SSCs and employers?
• Whats the offer? The value to Partners of this
  programme?
• What about Leitch?

• What's the strategy?
• Who is involved?
• Who are our key partners and stakeholders?
• How will we measure progress?
• What other programmes will we link to /
  capitalise on?
• How will we communicate the work?
• How will we ensure all SSCs who want to be are
  engaged and up to speed?
• What's happened to the ML projects - NOS, Action
  Learning for Leaders and Solutions for Business?
• Were there any real success stories that came out
  of work to date on the these ML projects?  

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Framework of understanding Employers
99 of the 3.8 million businesses in UK have 0 -
49 employees This is 56 of UK employment SBS
(2004)
Churchill and Lewis, HBR 1983 Greiner, HBR 1998
Size
Organisation development
Time
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What's the problem?
John Doe in the US could take Thursday and
Friday off and still produce as much as poor John
Bull in the UK toiling away throughout the
working week.

• DTI Report 36 of managers are not proficient to
  do their jobs. This means 1.6 million managers
  who need to be developed.
• CfE report . . comparisons against the market
  economy make for even more depressing reading,
  where output per hour worked is almost 40 below
  that of the US.

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What's the evidence there really is a problem?

• Summary document produced for the LM Advisory
  Panel by John Baker, DTI
• CfE Skills in Context conversation
• The Contribution of Skills to Business
  Performance - Penny Tamkin
• SSDA Research archive

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What does the long term picture look like - where
are we trying to go? 1
Our vision for the new programme will be closely
developed with the SSCs and be based on the
aggregate findings from their Sector Skills
Agreements (SSAs). In broad terms our aim is to
make a significant improvement in the
effectiveness of UK managers by 2012.
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What does the long term picture look like - where
are we trying to go? 2

• In our vision, by 2012 SSCs will
• Have deployed effective ML development
  programmes to address unique skills gaps in their
  own sector
• Be contributing to all sector programmes where
  the skills gaps are common and joint working
  brings greater impact and reduced costs
• Be actively engaged with regional and national
  programmes contributing their unique value and
  consequently 'punching above their weight'.
• Have capitalised on products such as the National
  Occupational Standards, Action Learning for
  Leaders and Solutions 4 Business and encouraged
  their use by suppliers and employers
• Have changed the UKs culture personal skills
  development for managers is highly valued

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So what exactly is in this programme?

• It's currently under construction. It builds on
  the success of the ML and Business Skills Boards
  but learns from their experiences.
• It capitalises on the products and services that
  have been developed as well as the network of
  partners and influencers that has been
  established. All this will continue.
• But more importantly it now focuses very clearly
  on addressing the aggregate ML skills needs
  emerging from the SSAs. We will test all elements
  of the developing programme against these
  criteria.

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What's different about this programme compared
with the previous Boards?

• Compared with the work done by the Management
  and Leadership and the Business Skills Boards the
  current programme will provide
• Tighter integration with the Regions and Nations
  teams and programmes
• A greater focus on RSPs and National equivalents
  as an effective way of engaging with several key
  players at once
• Network capacity increased through greater use of
  Sector Skills Council ML Champions
• Greater authenticity of programme based on the
  aggregate output of the SSAs
• Leadership by an SSC and thus more deeply
  embedded in the network. Steve Studd will provide
  a direct line in to the NSG to increase awareness
  of the programme
• A focus widened from projects to broader, more
  integrated and influential programmes
• Closer engagement with a main SSDA Board sponsor
  for ML work
• For the first time, representation on the UK LM
  Advisory Panel

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What will be delivered by March 07?

• An analysis of the Sector Skills Agreements for
  common ML needs
• A revised programme clearly rooted in this
  aggregate output
• An active network of Sector Skills Council ML
  Champions
• Evidence that the SSC-led approach is effective
• A deeper engagement with Regional and Country
  programmes
• Successful roll out of the Action Learning for
  Leaders programme
• Deeper and wider engagement with stakeholder
  programmes such as the LM Project Board and the
  LM Advisory Panel

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Whats the value of this programme to SSCs and
employers?
' The Offer '

• Its highly relevant ML skills development is
  the number one shared area of concern from the
  emerging SSAs.
• It should lead to reduced costs For those ML
  themes that are common to many SSCs it will be
  possible to share the research base, best
  practice and any products and solutions that
  exist or are developed.
• This can lead to faster time-to-market with
  solutions shared access to projects and products
  will allow us to help employers solve their
  development needs more quickly.

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Whats the value of this programme to SSCs and
employers 2 ?
' The Offer '

• It will provide improved access to resources One
  of the key goals of the programme is to identify
  and then engage with available budgets and
  programmes from DfES, DTI, Nations and English
  Regions
• There will be greater access to partners The ML
  Lead team have access to the Advisory Panel, LM
  Projects Board and others.
• We will have greater impact with partners Having
  a shared ML strategy based on the aggregate
  output of SSAs will give us more authority in
  negotiations with partners.

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Whats the value of this programme to SSCs and
employers 3 ?
' The Offer '

• An active programme to promote and update the
  National Occupational Standards
• Action Learning for Leaders a proven programme
  already being rolled out by SSCs and Regions
• Solutions 4 Business answers to tactical
  business problems being piloted by several SSCs

• Seats at the Leadership and Management Project
  Board and the UK Leadership and management
  Advisory Panel
• A quarterly Forum to engage with other SSCs on
  ML topics

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Whats the value to Partners of this programme?
' The Offer '

• Its highly relevant to their own work ML
  skills development is the number one shared area
  of concern from the emerging SSAs. Partners are
  responsive to the authoritative voice of
  employers and are looking for a manageable number
  of key issues to address.
• Its authentic The SfBn ML strategy is based on
  aggregate output of SSAs.

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Whats the value to Partners of this programme
2 ?
' The Offer '

• It will provide improved access to SSCs and
  resources The ML Lead team will represent the
  network, be able to identify key staff, available
  budgets and programmes from SSCs. Partners are
  looking for an effective way of engaging with the
  network.
• It will lead to reduced costs We are willing to
  share our ML research base, best practice and
  IP.
• This can lead to faster time to market with
  solutions shared access to projects and products
  will allow partners to help employers solve their
  development needs more quickly.

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Whats the value to Partners of this programme
3 ?
' The Offer '

• An active programme to promote and update the
  National Occupational Standards
• Action Learning for Leaders a proven programme
  already being rolled out by SSCs and Regions
• Solutions 4 Business answers to tactical
  business problems being piloted by many SSCs

• Seats at the Leadership and Management Project
  Board and the UK Leadership and management
  Advisory Panel
• A quarterly Forum to engage with other SSCs on
  ML topics

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Engaging with LM Advisory Panel
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Advisory Panel Messages
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Advisory Panel submission to Leitch Review - 1

• Firstly, employers collectively have to take
  responsibility for raising demand for leadership
  and management development, at all skill levels
• leading employers should drive the development of
  a UK wide programme that promotes leading
  practice in leadership and management
  development
• we need a national award which raises the profile
  of those employers who offer truly outstanding
  leadership and has real currency to prospective
  employees
• the Sector Skills Councils are responsible for
  understanding and articulating the leadership and
  management needs of each sector and to work with
  the supply side to ensure that training and
  qualifications meet employer needs.

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Advisory Panel submission to Leitch Review - 2

• Secondly, Government has a responsibility to
  ensure that learning opportunities for leadership
  and management are fit for purpose, both now and
  in a rapidly changing future of increased
  competition and globalisation
• there is a plethora of initiatives, approaches
  and institutions for leadership and management in
  the UK, we need determined leadership to champion
  what works and to drive improvements in curricula
  development and delivery, particularly at
  intermediate management levels
• we need a new economy between HE and SMEs so as
  to ensure that HE is able and incentivised to
  engage with SMEs in providing customised
  leadership and management learning opportunities,
  particularly at Level 4 and above.

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Advisory Panel submission to Leitch Review - 3

• Thirdly, there needs to be more targeted and
  quality assured support and incentives for
  individuals and SMEs to invest in leadership and
  management opportunities
• all business support providers and brokers (for
  example, within Train to Gain) should be
  proactive in their knowledge and signposting to
  quality leadership and management development
  opportunities
• we are greatly encouraged by the current Learning
  and Skill Council's (LSC) leadership and
  management programme for SMEs. It should be
  extended to organisations of 10 and, in line
  with Train to Gain, focus on hard to reach
  businesses
• for individuals, we need far more innovative
  approaches of engagement supported by using
  proposals for Individual Learning

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Leitch actions
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Programme Strategy

• Develop a new programme which addresses the
  aggregate ML requirements coming from the SSAs
  while capitalising on the best and most relevant
  of the work we have done so far.
• Endow the programme with the combined weight of
  all 25 SSCs and allow us a much stronger voice.
• Encourage a much tighter integration with the
  SSDA Regions and Countries teams and programmes.
• Give the leadership of the programme to an SSC,
  SkillsActive. We believe that this will ensure it
  is more deeply embedded in the network. Widen the
  overall focus of the work from projects to
  broader, more integrated and influential
  programmes.
• Encourage closer engagement with a main SSDA
  Board sponsor for ML work. And, for the first
  time, the network will be represented on the UK
  LM Advisory Panel.

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Whos involved?
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Who are our key partners and stakeholders?
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Who are our key partners and stakeholders?
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Who are our key partners and stakeholders?
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How to get England-wide impact?
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How will we measure progress ?
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What other programmes will we link to/capitalise
on?

• Our underlying principle is to not re-invent the
  wheel but to capitalise on other programmes where
  we can add the unique value of our employers'
  voice.
• We don't have the resources to mount major UK
  wide campaigns but we do have, products and
  services we have developed that can be of great
  value to others and guide their thinking and
  programme development.
• A current opportunity is the Train to Gain
  programme.
• We will work closely with the Regional and
  Country Managers to discover the most productive
  areas and develop plans to exploit our
  relationships and added value.

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How will we communicate the work? 1

• Forum meetings
• Will be held on a quarterly basis and SSCs
  invited to attend and share the progress and
  future direction with us.
• Champions
• The ML NOS champions programme will be expanded
  to include other SSCs and a wider range of
  topics.
• LM Advisory Panel
• We will be represented on this by Steve Studd.

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How will we communicate the work? 2

• LM Projects Board
• We will be represented on this by John Thorpe.
• Regional Managers
• Meeting attendance
• English Regions
• Each Region has a SfBn Forum led by a SSC CE
  and Regional manager (e.g. Terry Watts and Alan
  Butcher in the SE).
• Nations
• We will work through the SSDA Countries managers
  and contacts we have already developed.

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How will we communicate the work? 3
http//www.sfbn-mandl.org.uk/
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How will we ensure all SSCs who want to be are
engaged and up to speed?

• All SSC CEs were contacted by Steve Studd in
  August 2006. There was an update on the new
  programme and an invitation to join the first
  Forum meeting in September.
• The output of the Forum meeting was presented to
  the NSG on October 5
• To enable the entire SfBN an opportunity to
  benefit from the ML NOS Champions programme,
  those SSCs without a champion will soon be
  invited to participate in arrangements to access
  useful advice and support.

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What happened to the ML projects ?

• NOS for Managers and Leaders in collaboration
  with the Management Standards centre will
  continue as before.
• Action Learning for Leaders will complete a
  roll-out programme till March 2007
• Solutions 4 Business will continue to the next
  stage with the involvement of the network

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National Occupational Standards (NOS) for
Management and Leadership

• Led by SkillsActive with technical support from
  MSC
• Main focus is on review and development,
  endorsing contextualisation and approving other
  qualifications based on the NOS
• Guided by AssetSkills, Cogent, Skills for Health,
  Skillset, GoSkills, Improve and SkillsActive
• Active UK wide rollout programme with 14
  dedicated champions

John Thorpe, John.Thorpe_at_skillsactive.com 0207
6322038
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Part of the Bigger Picture for Qualifications
Reform?

• Components
• Sector Qualification Strategy pilot phase.
• Incremental change.
• SFEDI
• Foundation Degree Framework

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Short and longer term business issues addressed
How do I

• Plan for the future?
• Approach succession management?
• Stimulate more growth?
• Develop vision/direction?
• Clarify my personal needs?
• . . .

• Get more sales and new customers?
• Get the directions and controls right?
• Get the most from IT?
• Get the most from my money?
• Delegate and manage my time?
• . . .

Action Learning for Leaders
Solutions 4 Business
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Action Learning for Leaders

• Originally led by ConstructionSkills now by
  SkillsActive
• Guided by Skillfast, Skillset, Improve, e-skills
  UK, AssetSkills, Skillsmart Retail
• Evaluated by Henley Management College
• SME focused pilots in Glasgow, Nottingham and
  Guildford

David Black, dblackcitb_at_aol.com 07759 818 460
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Whats the current situation?

• Current work in progress
• Sector Specific
• CITB-ConstructionSkills running in Lanarkshire
• Skills for Justice in the final planning stage
  for Edinburgh and Cardiff
• Skillsmart Retail under discussion based in the
  Leeds area
• Cross sector
• Voluntary Sector learning loops running
  nationally
• Reading and Newbury Enterprise hub running in
  SE England
• Power of Action Learning Sets ( PALS) running
  in SE England
• SEEDA action learning programmes for SMEs under
  discussion to be run through Business Links in SE
  England
• NLA conversation
• NI Management Month
• Southwest funded initiative
• London initiative

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Solutions 4 Business

• Led by Skillfast UK
• Guided by
• SummitSkills, SEMTA, Improve, e-skills UK,
  SkillsActive, Lantra, Asset Skills, Skillsmart,
  People 1st, Skills for Justice, Financial
  Services SSC
• Top 10 business issues facing small and micro
  businesses

Sue Green Sue_green_at_skillfast-uk.org 44 (7736)
083 528
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Current work

• Website now live
• 3 Sector Skills Councils currently
  identifying/developing relevant content
• A further 3 will follow end November.
• Sustainability Action Plan agreed, meetings to
  take place with key stakeholders intermediaries
  to identify opportunities for content/funding
• 4 Employer Events arranged to promote
  Solutions4Business

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Were there any real success stories that came out
of work to date on this ML project?

• ML NOS
• Up to March 2006, 5,823 enquiries had been
  received regarding the standards since their
  launch.
• 3,000 copies of the NOS were disseminated to
  employers and representative bodies UK wide.
• There were 91 instances of importing units by
  Sector Skills Councils and other skill bodies.

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Were there any real success stories that came out
of work to date on this ML project?

• Action Learning for Leaders 1
• Comments from the participants included
• I have benefited greatly from this programme and
  have been able to bring the benefits directly
  back to my business
• The programme has really helped me to gain the
  confidence and achieve changes
• This has contributed to us now achieving a bid
  success rate of 1 out of 2, when previously we
  only succeeded in 1 out of 7 bids
• This programme has helped me to reflect on my
  position and consider my options for the future

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Were there any real success stories that came out
of work to date on this ML project?

• Action Learning for Leaders 2
• Comments from the participants included
• This has already helped to increase my new
  orders by 50 and there is a feeling that all the
  staff are more motivated
• I have created a business plan based on 25
  increase in turnover for 2006 and a plan of
  action on how to achieve this
• This programme has probably saved my company
  from potential oblivion on my retirement.
• A key output of the project was the production of
  20 detailed Good Practice guidelines for
  designing and running action learning to
  develop leadership competencies for SME owner
  managers.

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End