Themes

Policy drivers, key players

Developing a skilled workforce, including:

			The need for higher level skills in the workforce
			The role of Higher Education in increasing the skills of the workforce
			Developing soft or essential skills and implications for the curriculum
			Understanding and acting on national policy; employer and student needs, and expectations
			The role of industry in shaping the policy, curriculum and funding of education
			Employer expectations: what they want from education systems
			Student expectations: what the student or customer wants and needs

Practical approaches

Developing relevant and appropriate learning opportunities, including:

			Delivering flexible work based learning solutions
			How employers and providers can work together to respond to this challenge
			Employers’ needs – engaging employers in developing learning opportunities
			Re-skilling working people for new careers and lifelong learning

Enabling frameworks

Policy and qualifications, frameworks and systems:

			What can be done at policy level to enable this complex issue
			Recognition and accreditation issues