Projects

TTF Raises the bar through skills competitions.

Working with the National Skills Forum

At TTF we recognise that ensuring that people have the right skills to participate in the UK labour market is crucial: both to empower individuals and to sustain economic growth. People from every walk of life have a fundamental role to play, yet many are excluded from the skills market.

TTF were delighted to support The National Skills Forum (NSF) in carrying out some groundbreaking research to explore social and economic inclusion issues faced by people in three disproportionately excluded groups: people with disabilities, BAME communities and Offenders and Ex Offenders.

Working at the highest level involving skills specialists and cross party Parliamentarians in an open consultation and round table discussions, The National Skills Forum and Associate Parliamentary Skills Group, supported by TTF, launched the final report on their findings in Parliament on Wednesday 3rd February.

Skills and Disability

The report, Doing Things Differently: Step Changes in Skills and Inclusion,explores the impact of skills policy on people with disabilities and delivers a series of recommendations to Parliament to influence innovative policy change.

Key recommendations for people with disabilities include:

  • Employers and government should partner to encourage employers to promote equality and diversity and to target underrepresented groups within their sector.
  • Government needs to simplify funding mechanisms to support disabled learners and reduce the bureaucratic burden on disabled learners, their families and employers wishing to access training
  • Learners with disabilities should be given greater access to training in a job related environment to help better prepare them for the world of work

Click here to read the full report Doing Things Differently: Step Changes in Skills and Inclusion

Skills and BAME Communities

The Doing Things Differently: Step Changes in Skills and Inclusion report also took a close look at what needs to be done to ensure accessibility to skills in BAME communities, what stops people pursuing a vocational route to a career and the support mechanisms that should be in place to ensure a positive step change.

Through the findings of this research we want to make a real difference and lead a shift in policy and a range of key recommendations came out of the research:

For Black & Minority Ethnic Learners recommendations included:

  • Government communicating more effectively to parents of BME learners the learning options and careers choices available
  • Government (DCSF) and Training & Development Agency to address negative aspirations of BME learners by providing enhanced career guidance
  • Office for Fair Access should encourage Russell Group universities to participate in careers guidance at institutions with a high BME student intake

Click here to read the full report Doing Things Differently: Step Changes in Skills and Inclusion

Skills: Offenders and Ex-Offenders

Undeniably disadvantaged in terms of accessing a skilled career, Offenders and Ex-offenders are a group often forgotten in the skills market. The research, the findings of which are detailed in Doing Things Differently: Step Changes in Skills and Inclusion, identifies the barriers that stop Offenders and Ex Offenders accessing the training, development and career opportunities that are needed to pursue a vocational skill. It also addresses what role employers and government should be taking to make a positive change.

For Offenders and ex offenders recommendations included:

  • Greater use of release on temporary licence for work experience and work trials to boost ex-offenders employability Employer network to be set-up to share knowledge and best practice on employing ex-offenders Government to include education & training as inherent part of sentencing process, especially for those on short-term sentences
  • Participation in education & training should be made integral to the daily prison regime
  • Government must raise investment in IT learning resources, such as the 'Virtual Campus' e-learning initiative to help offenders continue their education despite transfer between prisons

If you're interested in lending your support to this important work contact the National Skills Forum or find out more here