About the UK Commission
Established by Government in April 2008, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills is a key recommendation in Lord Leitch’s 2006 review of skills. The UK Commission was originally created by the merger of two predecessor organisations, the Sector Skills Development agency and the National Employer Panel, although its final remit extends beyond that of these original bodies.
Our ambition is to benefit employers, individuals and government by advising how improved employment and skills systems can help the UK become a world-class leader in productivity in employment and in having a fair and inclusive society; all this in the context of a fast-changing global economy.
As employers have prime responsibility for improving productivity, the UK Commission strengthens the employer voice and provides greater employer influence over the UK’s employment and skills systems.
We provide independent advice to the heart of the four UK Governments, helping to achieve improvements through strategic policy development, evidence based analysis and exchange of good practice.
The remit of the UK Commission’s Research and Policy Directorate is expanding to establish the new Skills Research Institute, to undertake an analysis of strategic skills needs and the management of the Investors in People standard.
Skills Research Institute
In the summer 2009, the Government confirmed that it would like the UK Commission to develop a national skills research strategy, to co-ordinate the research agenda at a strategic level, and to establish a Skills Research Institute to play a key role in taking this forward. The purpose of the new Institute is to strengthen the research and development arm of the R&P Directorate. It will work with the UK Commission to: raise the profile of skills and employment research; build capacity for undertaking it; support policy development and innovation; improve knowledge transfer and by so doing to build a shared research agenda amongst stakeholders across the UK. The Research Institute will manage a research budget, and is expected to commission research, set up and manage an external research network, appointing leading research experts across the UK on a range of research activities.
Undertake analysis of strategic skills needs
In October 2009, the UK Commission received confirmation that it would have an important role advising Government about future strategic skills needs in England. This advice will be delivered in the form of a key publication, the ‘National Strategic Skills Audit’, to be delivered on an annual basis. A key aim of the Audit will be to develop a more co-ordinated and consistent strategic assessment of future skills needs in England, based on strong, robust research evidence. The goal of the National Strategic Skills Audit is to provide valuable insights to Government and other stakeholders on England’s strategic skills needs and the economic priorities driving them, in order to shape future policy development. The Audit will provide a comprehensive, solid and informative evidence base for policy makers, supplementing the existing intelligence currently harnessed from a range of agencies (such as the Sector Skills Councils and Regional Development Agencies).
Investors in People
In 2010, responsibility for the Investors in People standard will be passed from government to the UK Commission placing it at the heart of our agenda to strengthen high performance working, management and leadership and skills utilisation across the UK. Investors in People provides a simple and flexible framework helping thousands of organisations of all sizes and sectors to improve their business performance. These new arrangements will mean that the Commission will take over guardianship of the IiP standard and framework, including responsibility for ensuring continued high quality through the licensing of regional and national delivery centres across the UK. This raises implications for some of our future research and policy analysis.
As the remit of the UK Commission’s Research and Policy Directorate expands, we are seeking to recruit a range of highly committed individuals to support our growth and deliver our ambitious agenda.
Working at the UK Commission provides an opportunity to work alongside leaders in skills and labour market research and policy, and gives you the scope to make a valuable contribution to the UK Commission and its goal of raising UK prosperity and opportunity. It also provides the opportunity to work with our Commissioners, who are high profile leaders from across business, industry and the public sector, and the team at the UK Commission, led by Chris Humphries who has held high profile executive, non-executive and advisory roles focused on skills and workforce development for 20 years.
We are interested in attracting people from a wide range of backgrounds; you may currently be working in a research or policy role in central government, local government, a think tank, higher education, an NDPB, or in a relevant role in the private sector – whatever your current role, working at the UK Commission will enable you to build your research and policy skills alongside a range of committed and professional colleagues, many of whom bring a national and international reputation in their field. The work of the UK Commission directly influences Government policy and strategy across the UK, so the work you are doing will have real impact and value.
Working at the UK Commission will allow you to fulfil your potential in research and policy, and build a career and specialist expertise in a great working environment, in a role that offers flexible working patterns, a choice of locations, and a strong team ethos and culture. We look forward to hearing from you, and we hope welcoming you to a new and fulfilling career at the UK Commission.
Here are some useful documents that provide detailed information about the Commission: