Choice based opportunities

Chris Humphries, Chief Executive, UK Commission for Employment and Skills

In the old days, a job was for life. Now, for many of us, working life is just a little bit more complicated.

The nature of employment has changed, and is still changing, thanks to the fluidity of the modern labour market and the advent of globalisation. Individuals are faced with an unprecedented level of choice over their career progression and are increasingly moving away from the traditional model of one career per working lifetime.

Recent indications are that the average individual will change career three times in their working life and change jobs 13 times. By 2025 this is set to rise to a staggering 19 job changes in one working life. What are the implications of such shifts in careers for both individuals and organisations? More importantly, how do we ensure people make informed choices and changes?

Flexibility

Increasing flexibility in the labour market, e.g. promotions, internal job modifications and external job appointments, mean employers have ever-changing skills needs to maintain and grow competitive businesses, and individuals are continually developing their skills to meet employer needs.

For employers, it is critical to understand and respond to the specific changes modern work choices place on their businesses. Issues around matching supply with demand are well documented but in an era of globalisation, technological developments and increasing competition, the fluidity of the workforce is yet another pressure on modern businesses. Employers need to be able to translate their business objectives into specific skills needs and access the right individuals. As a consequence, mechanisms for recording individuals' skills and learning achievements need to be in place so they can be tracked and checked by current and prospective employers.

Choice

Individuals face an unprecedented amount of choice: a person may have to re-skill or up-skill five to ten times over their working life in order to maximise their employability. This can only happen if individuals are provided with readily available information and advice to guide them. Only with reliable labour market information can individuals be in a good position to identify future employment opportunities and make informed career choices. Therefore, high quality labour market intelligence supported by high quality guidance and support are both essential.

Learning

Often, when attempting to address these needs, those of us involved in education focus on qualifications and training. We seem to forget, despite having been and continuing to be learners ourselves, that for individuals this approach is almost backwards. Individuals engage in learning in an attempt to progress their career or change career.

Of course, non-formal and informal learning has a part to play but for the majority of people in our workplaces today, it is the employment opportunities waiting for them at the end of the training that are the prime motivators for participation. It is therefore critical to better understand the role of information, advice and guidance (IAG) — and for us to see that employment choices direct learning choices, not the other way round. It is vitally important that IAG starts with options for employability.

Streamline IAG

The recent announcement from two Departments (DIUS and DWP) goes some way towards recognising this issue. The proposal to streamline IAG and create a new adult careers service from the merger of learndirect and nextstep providers in England is an important step. Working with Jobcentre Plus and the Learning and Skills Council, the new service will aim to balance job search facilities with training and improve chances of employability. In Scotland, learndirect is set to join with Careers Scotland.

Skills Accounts are a massive undertaking on the part of government to enable individuals and employers to record and track learning. Other initiatives, including Train to Gain brokerage and employer training funds will also encourage flexible training and career progression for individuals in the workplace.

In 2006, studies from the House of Lords' Science and Technology Select Committee and the CBI both stated how the system in England was not meeting the needs of people today. While the Leitch Review suggested that England should learn from the other UK nations, what about lessons that can be learned from international colleagues?

Advance skills

We have created a new research and development centre at City and Guilds to advance skills and investigate how policy and practice can be improved. Our first challenge was to understand the skills situation in nine countries in an international survey. Initial findings suggest that we are not alone in facing issues such as IAG, employer engagement, and the balance of supply and demand. The final survey outcomes, available in April 2008, will indicate where the UK can learn from counterparts in these countries and show where can have the most positive impact in the world of skills.

In summary, whilst IAG is important, it is the way it is used that will be of critical importance to individuals and employers. We need to ensure that policy directs individuals to make learning choices based on employment opportunities, and not the other way around.

Chris Humphries has left City and Guilds and has now taken up his new role as Chief Executive of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.