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<p>These questions ask about a number of actions related to skills development from
“Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services”, published
in July 2013 as part of Government's industrial strategy. The strategy was developed
in collaboration with the professional and business services sector, focusing on the
industry's agenda for long term growth. It is led by the Professional and Business
Services Council.</p><p> </p><p>The strategy reflects two key business priorities
in skills development. First, to expand recruitment routes into the sector, in particular
higher apprenticeships, to access a wider, more diverse talent pool. Second, to help
businesses engage with the education system to raise aspirations and promote work
readiness. A business-led skills taskforce for professional and business services
has been established. It is developing approaches to implement the strategy and will
report progress at the end of this year.</p><p> </p><p>The skills taskforce is leading
work to help towards the strategy's ambitious target to treble the number of higher
apprenticeship starts across professional and business services to 10,000 over five
years; and to follow progress in the interim, so that the numbers of these apprenticeships
can be monitored. As a first step, the taskforce is supporting the London Professional
Apprenticeship scheme, which was launched in December 2013, and is now recruiting
apprentices and employers to take part. The scheme will pilot the proposal for a “clearing
house” to help small firms access higher apprenticeships in professional and business
services. In addition, the taskforce is backing new ‘trailblazer' initiatives, announced
in March 2014, to develop employer-driven standards for apprenticeships in several
professional and business services occupations.</p><p> </p><p>The skills taskforce
is currently researching the metrics for schools' reporting and their effect on the
prestige of higher apprenticeships as initial career destinations. It will consider
if more could be done to ensure higher apprenticeships have parity of esteem with
higher education.</p><p> </p><p>The taskforce is also mapping current school engagement
activity involving professional and business services firms with a view to identifying
and sharing good practice.</p><p> </p><p>The new emphasis on wider use of higher apprenticeships
across professional and business services should contribute towards a greater diversity
of routes into these careers in the years to come; potentially offering opportunities
to a wider pool of talent.</p><p> </p><p>The skills taskforce intends to consider
how the employability of young people can be supported within the national curriculum,
but believes that greater engagement between employers and young people is the best
way of improving employability skills.</p><p> </p><p>My noble friend Lord Lingfield
has set up the independent Institution for Further Education to take forward work
on a new chartered status quality schemeand is considering the application and assessment
process for Further Education providers.</p><p> </p><p>The skills taskforce is exploring
how web-based services can support engagement between firms and the education sector,
including a planned digital “inspiration” tool being developed by this Department
to encourage business-schools engagement.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on the
implementation of “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business
services” is included in a progress report on industrial strategy, published on 23
April 2014: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy-early-successes-and-future-priorities"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy-early-successes-and-future-priorities</a>.</p>
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