People 1st (the Sector Skills Council for the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries) recently undertook a comprehensive Skill Needs Assessment as part of their ‘Sector Skills Agreement’ (SSA) process. This is a major DfES policy area designed to create a demand led system of education and training.
The Sector Skills Agreement has five stages, the first of which is the Skills Needs Assessment. This Assessment, undertaken between May and November 2005, looked at the current and future skill needs of the sector through extensive consultation with employers regionally, by industry and across the four UK nations. The research identified management and leadership, customer service and chefs skills as the priority skill areas.
Linked to this, retention was also identified as a priority. The industry has high staff turnover rates, which cost the sector nearly £1 billion each year. The full report and a summary can be found at www.people1st.co.uk.
The second stage is an assessment of the supply of learning, which People 1st undertook between January and June 2006 (consulting with both employers and learning providers). The research revealed the sector employs a high percentage of students and international workers, has weak progression routes, and the majority of employers are confused about both what support is available and how to access it.
The third stage looked at the gap between supply and demand, and is being used to inform the final two stages which involve working with employers and delivery partners to finalise the agreement. Further details will be available when these discussions have concluded.
This research has underpinned the series of Skills Summits that DCMS held with People 1st. These summits are overseeing the development of a National Skills Strategy for the sector (the England arm of the Sector Skills Agreement), which is due for completion in March 2007.
I recently chaired the third summit in this series and launched the UK Skills Passport. The Passport will benefit both employers and employees by providing an entire system of career development and training, and signposting industry to qualifications and funding that meet their needs. A fourth Skills Summit will take place later this spring.