A request for assistance!
from SkillsActive
The Project
DfES have asked 3 Sector Skills Councils – one being SkillsActive – to assist with a very interesting and highly relevant Skills for Life project (see below).
We need one, possibly two employers to assist. This would involve approx 1.5 hours talking to, in our case, a member of staff at an outdoor centre – someone who is around a level 3/first level of staff management position. Some employers call this chief instructor, senior instructor, team leader or similar, but the role will have some responsibility for other, more junior staff. They may also continue to be ‘practitioners’, but are not at a particularly senior level.
Furthermore, a further discussion of a similar duration would need to take place with someone in the organisation with an overview of the job roles – either a centre manager/head of centre/proprietor, or in the case of a larger organisation, an HR or recruitment person.
The focus is to look at the instructor’s job role and their job description in terms of the Skills for Life that they need to use to fulfil the role. (It’s certainly not any kind of “test” for the employee or employer!!)
In total, the consultant involved and possibly myself would need to visit the centre for approx half a day. Due to DfES specifications, centres/employees need to be in England.
Background
For a long time, we have been interested in the issue of what is now known as Skills for Life – used to be called Basic Skills. This is to do with basic literacy, numeracy and other basic skills areas.
The outdoors, as a work environment attracts a wide range of young (and not so young) people who want to work in the industry. However, we have not, as a sub-sector, and not within SkillsActive, looked at the issue of Skills for Life in employees’ jobs.
Importantly, Skills for Life is not just about people who are less academic… those who don’t have degrees, A levels or even GCSEs. In fact, as can be witnessed in all universities, supporting students and employees who are on degree courses but who also have specific Skills for Life issues and needs is an increasingly important aspect of support for students and staff.
The project here aims to explore and develop job descriptions which have Skills for Life requirements accurately and practically mapped to them.
In this way, we can start to become more aware of the Skills for Life issues for employees and from this, ensure that these needs are more readily identified and catered for, to help improve staff performance, development and job satisfaction, and ultimately the success of the organisation and the delight of its clients/customers!
For too long, it is known that in some situations, excellent employees have not been able to progress in their organisations and/or their chosen industries because the vital Skills for Life issues have not been identified and catered for.
If you feel you could help with this project and would like to be involved, or would like any further details, please feel free to email or call me… phone details below.
Can I please ask that you disseminate this out to other employers if you are part of a representative group?
Many thanks for you help in this interesting and worthwhile project. We will keep you informed of developments.
Peter Thompson
SkillsActive
UK Development Manager, The Outdoors
E-Mail: peter.thompson@skillsactive.com
Tel (Reception): +44 (0)20 7632 2000
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