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DEVOLUTION AND SKILLS POLICY – is any pattern emerging?

DEVOLUTION AND SKILLS POLICY – is any pattern emerging?. Ewart Keep SKOPE. THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND.

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DEVOLUTION AND SKILLS POLICY – is any pattern emerging?

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  1. DEVOLUTION AND SKILLS POLICY – is any pattern emerging? Ewart Keep SKOPE

  2. THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND Pre-devolution, much E&T policy was already devolved and exhibiting fundamental differences – e.g. Wales and Scotland comprehensive education. N.I. – selective, England a complex and evolving mix. Scotland already had its own qualification structure, and no national curriculum, testing regime or league tables. Devolution to some extent = continuation of previous trends.

  3. THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND - 2 • The underlying social and economic conditions differed (and continue to differ) across the 4 UK nations (and within them). • Wales = 70% English average GVA per head, almost no significant Welsh-owned and HQ’d companies, no meaningful Welsh financial sector. Demand for skills very different from England (or parts thereof – London and SE).

  4. THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND - 3 • In terms of £s to spend on E&T policies and institutions, the 4 nations started in a very different place. Per head of population: • Scotland • England • Wales

  5. THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND - 4 • The field of E&T policy is extremely unstable – change is occurring all the time, and trends are therefore hard to discern and track. • We are currently in a period of general change due to a reframing of the diagnosis of the underlying economic problems that have led to our ‘skills crisis’.

  6. ISSUES OF SCALE • In comparing England with Scotland, Wales and NI we need to remember that England is (population-wise) a far bigger country – 48 million, run as a unitary authority (at least on E&T policy). • Scale impacts on issues such as trust and management style.

  7. THE RECESSION All four UK nations now face the need to change their E&T policies and programmes to meet the issues posed by the onset of deep recession and mass unemployment. In a sense, a common threat tends to produce broadly similar responses (though from different starting points).

  8. WHAT COULD BE DIVERGING? • Underlying ideology and purpose of policy. • Institutional and regulatory frameworks • Culture of management and control • Programmes and initiatives • Oucomes

  9. UNERLYING IDEOLOGY AND AIMS • The gradual collapse of a ‘supply-led’, supply-push model. • Scotland got there first – had spent a lot on E&T and started to ask where the results were. • Wales – the impossibility and irrelevance of the Leitch 2020 targets. • England – UKCES ‘Ambition 2020’ and a shift to an agenda around underlying demand and skill usage.

  10. INSTITUTIONAL AND REGULATORY SYSTEMS • Wales – quangocide and the need for the government to deal direct with stakeholders. • Scotland –powerful but shifting quangos (emergence of SDS alongside SFC) • England – permanent revolution! Large quangos with no autonomy.

  11. ENGLAND IN TURMOIL • DfEE – DfES – DIUS/DCSF – DCSF and DBIS. • FEFC and TECs – LSC – YPLA and SFA • ALI and Ofsted - Ofsted • Also changes to QCA, quality improvement. • Unstable fiefdoms based on individual ambition!

  12. MANAGEMENT AND CULTURE • England – extremely low trust, ever more central control and dictat – massive reliance on output targets – participation rates and qualifications gained. Fear is the key! Most centralised E&T system in OECD (possibly excepting Singapore) • Scotland – higher trust, more autonomy, much less micro-management by the centre. Issues of scale here.

  13. PROGRAMMES AND INITIATIVES • England – raising the learning age. Scotland and Wales decline (strongly) to follow. • England – Train to Gain. Scotland and Wales decline to follow. • England – endorses Leitch targets. Scotland and Wales decline to follow.

  14. OUTCOMES • Outcome levels (as expressed by proportions of the workforce with particular levels of qualification) have differed between the countries, as do current trends. • There are big variations within countries – by locality and socio-economic group. • Scotland is ahead on post-compulsory participation and achievement, but as the Scottish Government has noted, this has not fed through into superior economic performance.

  15. IS THERE A WINNER? • By spending a lot of money, Scotland has produced a higher level of outputs (participation and achievement), plus has funded more non-work-related lifelong learning. • BUT, the economic effects of this are hard to find. • In terms of levels of trust – Scotland does better than England. • Identifying a winner depends on your definition and measure(s) of success!!!!!

  16. THE EMERGENCE OF UKCES • UKCES as a UK-wide internalised policy think tank and policy exchange mechanism. A policy ‘space’ outside government control. Major challenge for English policy makers. • A clearing house/transmission mechanism for non-English policy concepts. • A UK-wide research agenda. • A UK-wide regulator and funder (of the SSCs)

  17. FUTURE ISSUES • Public spending cuts and their impact on national systems. Scottish FE and HE used to lots of £s. Wales impoverished already. • Issues of scale and sustainability – e.g. STEM in Wales. • Ongoing institutional instability in England and the impact of the elections. • The emergence of closer linkages between economic development policy and E&T policy around skill demand and usage.

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