Who is this strategy for and why is it needed?
The Workforce Strategy for the further education (FE) sector in England, 2007-2012 is designed to be relevant to colleges and learning providers, employee representative bodies, national agencies and government departments, all of whom have a distinctive role in supporting the development of the sector's workforce. Whilst the initial focus of the strategy is on Learning and Skills Council funded colleges and learning providers, it is hoped that the issues and themes raised will be of relevance to the wider FE sector.
This strategy has been developed as a result of consultation and many discussions with colleges and learning providers, their employer bodies and trade unions. It does not stand alone and builds on the work already undertaken by LLUK on the Sector Skills Agreement for the whole of the lifelong learning sector.
The strategy has, for the first time, brought together members of the workforce in the FE system to:
- define the scope of the FE sector workforce
- set out a clear strategic vision for the future of the workforce
- identify those national priorities that this strategy needs to tackle, which are widely supported by the sector
- agree the outcomes for the workforce we want to achieve and initially develop a three-year Implementation Plan, demonstrating how providers, employees and stakeholders can work in partnership to accomplish these outcomes.
It has been designed not only to equip staff to meet today's demands on the FE sector, but also looks ahead and anticipates what employers, communities and learners will want from the sector over the next five years.
This process is about ensuring staff are highly skilled and ready to seize opportunities for ongoing personal and career development, and are able to adapt to new and challenging roles that will develop as the range and nature of provision changes.
