The Skills Pledge can do itfor you

and your colleagues……

Our Skills Pledge commitment• All staff should be supported and

encouraged to develop their skills and gain qualifications up to level 2 (and beyond)

• NVQs and certificates• Apprenticeships• Maths and English

Skills for Life

• Skills for Life is the national strategy to improve the language, literacy and numeracy skills of adults.

• It includes English for Speakers of other languages (ESOL). It focuses on the functional English and maths that adults use at work and in everyday life.

Skills for Life Qualifications

• National standards and national qualifications available in Adult literacy, Adult numeracy, ESOL and ESOL for work

• Qualifications from Entry 1 to Level 2• National Test at Level 1 and 2 is available online or on paper –

40 multiple choice questions

The Range of Skills for LifeFrom Entry level 1 skills• Reading signs, writing your name and address• Counting to 10, recognising coins

To Level 2 skills• Producing a well written report• Knowing how to calculate and use percentage

increase and decrease, ratio and proportion, mean, median and mode

The local authority context

780,000 local government employees (40% of the workforce) below Level 1 in numeracy

230,000 local government employees (11% of the workforce) below Level 1 in literacy.

• How many people do you think have level 2 skills in English?

• How many people have level 2 skills in maths?

• How many people have level 2 skills in both?

44%

14.1 m adults

56%

17.8 m adults

35%%

10.1 m adults

75%

21.8 m adults

20%

6.4 m adults

80%

25.5 m adults

Literacy

Numeracy

Literacy/Numeracy

Level 2 Level 2

Why develop Skills for Life?

Improvements identified by Staffordshire CCand Unison

• A reduction in staff turnover• Training has helped with recruitment• The number of accident reports has reduced by 72%• Complaints reduced and compliments increased• Expenditure saving of £12,000 in one year in respect of

chemicals used in one service area

Why develop SfL at Surrey CC?

• Equipping our people to meet the priorities and challenges we face?

• Supporting our people to reach their full potential?

• Improving service?

• Saving money?

Our approach to SfL training• Positive promotion

An opportunity for all staff to brush up skills - notIdentifying those with a Sfl ‘need’ or ‘problem’

• SfL ‘champions’ or ‘recruiters’ who will talk confidently and enthusiastically to prospective learners

• A range of relevant and flexible range of training opportunities to improve workplace performance and prepare staff to achieve national qualifications

Developing the training offer

• Working with our NVQ providers to ensure SfL is an integral part of the training

• Offering short courses and workshops to meet specific training needs: e.g maths for managers, lunch and learn session

• Supported or independent learning through the Learning Hub

• What will encourage individuals to take up the opportunity?

Your role?• Can you help us?

• What could you do?

• What do you need to help you do this?

Next Steps?

• This resource has been produced with the support of a grant awarded by LSIS. The grant was made available through the Skills for Life Support Programme in 2010. The resource has been developed by managers and practitioners. The contents should not be compared with commercially produced resources, although in many cases it may have comparable or better outcomes.