ID167 Establishing a Centre for Skills

The Idea

Keele should create a strategic Centre for Skills. This does not require a physical presence initially but a coalescence of institutional expertise, intellectual curiosity and externally engaged practice with a clear “brand” to the outside world. 

The Centre could bring together expertise from academic and professional services and the Institutes to: 

• Act as experts in skills, positioned to respond to internal needs, consultancy, LSIPs and devolution activity as an anchor institution. 
• Support the development of provision to meet the skills needs of the locality, through levy, CPD, Short Courses and, support the development needs of Keele staff. 
• Act as a “brand” and home for existing and new CPD and courses for learners in work, bringing together a data-driven cohesive and coherent offer, with approvals through Portfolio Oversight Group. 
• Fill gaps in data for the locality through bringing together existing structural, skills and labour market data in a locally focused Observatory. 

There is power in bringing together the various stakeholders to collaborate in understanding, responding to and publishing around skills needs. The University has potential to better use available LMI and structural data, including existing subscriptions. In a rapidly changing skills environment, ensuring that we best position to serve external and internal markets, develop future-facing training and position as experts. A Centre for Skills will unlock the necessary institutional agility to capitalise on an ever-shifting skills funding landscape

Why This Idea Should Be Considered

Skills is at the centre of external policy, global strategy and regional planning. The FE and Skills White Paper, Skills England and the Modern Industrial Strategy set out and prioritise funding in skills required for growth, reflecting on the value of degrees in specific disciplines. Skills is similarly the language of our own growth and to be able to work with relevant data, develop a skills-led approach to what we do and demonstrate understanding of the skills market and our contribution to it create a position of strength that can serve our locality, our own operation and our students. Enhancing provision of skills training to people in work, also has the potential to enhance undergraduate curricula. External taxonomies such as the UKSSC and Lightcast Skills Categories provide a reliable reference covering occupational, specialised, common and digital skills.  

There are already strong synergies between areas of specialism and reputation at Keele and nationally and regionally identified areas of skills gaps (such as sustainability and green skills). A Centre for Skills, with an established brand and reputation, will enable Keele to further maximise these opportunities

How We Would Implement This Idea

Initially the focus would be on bringing together expertise from across the institution, including RIE, the institutes, HR, GSRA and the academic staff base to form a full proposal defining objectives, priorities and operation. A strategic audit would identify key strengths. here are opportunities to involve key regional stakeholders in this activity, not least through the emerging activity to scope skills plans in the locality and beyond. 

Through collaboratively shaping a vision for the Centre, we can define short- and long-term goals, establishing any KPIs and resource considerations, for discussion and approval at a higher level. There are some quick easy wins, like the unloved CPD pages and aligning with devolution activity. 

What Success Would Look Like

Through the Centre, clearly presenting our expertise and becoming recognised as an informed voice on future skills and the role of higher-level occupational, digital, common and specialised skills in society, developing reputation within the institution and locality. Our reputational strengths and performance in REF and TEF, alongside success in developing portfolio of programmes supporting skill development in the workforce position us well within the market 

Having a cohesive and easily discoverable range of skills development programmes for business and individuals in work. Developing future-facing skills training for our own staff and an external audience, generating additional income. Successful programmes would increase utilisation of the campus, bringing broader benefits.  

Positioning as a “go to” place to support skills planning as a consultancy and Observatory offer, demonstrating a distinct value to organisations who so often draw on expensive private specialists.