Many of our members will have seen our report: Post COVID-19: Revitalising the Skills Market to a New Normal which has been received very positively. We can already see positive movement, coupled with the actions take on EPA, directly arising from our recommendations.
We will continue to remain positive, committed to suggesting positive solutions and whilst not everything we suggest will be taken forward, a positive attitude gets results.
I was therefore waiting with anticipation some two weeks later for the AELP document – a five point plan – similar title to our document issued on end point assessment. I was hoping for something stunning, with their resources available to them and time to consider – I woke this morning to a feeling of disappointment and dismay.
Whilst the document has much to be commended about it – a joined up approach by all of the Government agencies to deliver a joined up solution – for those of us who have worked in the Public Sector for most of our lives will know it will never happen. Its hard enough to get departments to talk to each other, never mind co-operate. When have we ever seen a joint departmental approach to anything that has been successful and importantly timely to the issue at hand ? – Never
So a big clap out to the AELP for their recommendation – however, the sector and more importantly the economy doesn’t have the 3 years it will take to get anything moving.
Whilst we agree that individual initiatives may not be ‘joined up’ and in some cases will not be successful – they will get to those who need it and start to have an impact now. We have suggested a number of ways in which intervention can be made quickly – using the provider base of which AELP claim to represent.
I am sure it will be claimed that the 5 point plan can be implemented quickly and there is no reason for delay – in response, there is little evidence to suggest this has ever happened in the past and now is not the time to test out unproven theories.
For those of us who have been in the Public Sector and the Skills Sector for a long time, programmes come just the same as wheel turns – sometimes at the bottom and out of fashion, sometimes at the top and in vogue. Let’s dust off the core of things that have worked in the past, get the support to those client groups that need it and use the provider base to engage now. That will help everyone.
Discuss further in the Promote-Ed Forums
