Skills
The capacity to learn, and keep on learning, is an essential feature of sustainable development. Without learning we cannot move on from previous modes of living and working and hence cannot capture the opportunity of sustainable development.
We would like to see...
... skills development, both formal and informal, recognised as a key factor in building a sustainable economy (i.e. one that produces prosperity and opportunity for all without exceeding environmental limits) and the skills of sustainable development viewed as the central priority of skills policy, and as a critical goal of organisations.
| Real activites | |
 | Glebe school developed an area of its school grounds as a wildlife pond, outdoor classroom and walking trail. Its focus on 'real activities' in a practical setting was successful at motivating pupils and developing their enterprise skills. Read more » |
The Leitch review of skills
In December 2006 Lord Leitch published his final report Prosperity for all
in the Global Economy: World Class Skills. It examines the UK's long-term skills needs and sets out goals for 2020 addressing the following issues:
- out of 30 OECD countries, the UK lies 17th on low skills, 20th on intermediate skills and 11th on high skills;
- 5 million adults in the UK lack functional literacy;
- 17 million adults in the UK have difficulty with numbers; and
- more than one in six young people leave school unable to read, write or add up properly.
A summary of Leitch’s proposals can be found on the Treasury Website.
