Major structural reforms are required to the current way skills are delivered in Scotland, according to an independent review of the system.
The report of James Withers’ Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape outlines recommendations to ensure the public sector can meet the level of economic transformation expected in the years ahead.
Key recommendations made by Withers include:
- the creation of a new single funding and delivery body, bringing together functions from Skills Development Scotland (SDS), the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and, possibly, the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS)
- giving the enterprise agencies a clear remit for supporting businesses, with workforce planning as an embedded and integrated part of business development and planning
- ensuring there is a clear remit for the new qualifications body – the successor to the SQA - in overseeing development and accreditation of all publicly funded post-school qualifications
- moving responsibility for national skills planning to the Scottish Government
- reform of SDS to create a new body with a singular focus on careers advice and education
