Cross Party Group on Skills
Minutes (Draft) of the meeting held at12.30 p.m. Thursday4 February 2016
Committee Room 2, The Scottish Parliament
Present- Gavin Brown MSP (Co-Convener)
- Joanne Buchan (Secretary)
- Irene Bell, EDAS
- Ishabel Bremner, EDAS
- Geoff Leask, EDAS
- Robert Girvan, CITB
- Candy Munro, College Development Network
- Jay Smith, Employment Enterprise
- Laura McKelvie, FSB
- Jim Murphy, JHP Training
- Simon Williams, NHS Education for Scotland
- Margaret Munckton, Perth College UHI
- Brian McLeish, Scottish Enterprise
- Julie Cavanagh, SCQF Partnership
- Robert Bruce, SEMTA
- Stephen Howse, SEMTA
- Anne Galbraith, SECTT
- Beatrice Morrice, The Scotch Whisky Assoc
- Michael Lennox, CITB
- Ian Stirrat, SELECT
- Tommy Cuthbert, SDS
- Stephen Young, GMG Contractors and Civil Engineering Construction Association
- Margaret McCulloch MSP (Co-Convener)
- Gordon MacDonald MSP
- Baljinder Birdi, Pearson Work Based Learning for Colleges
- Maes Murdock, Cogent Skills
- Aileen Ponton, SCQF Partnership
- Newell McGuiness, SELECT
- Polly Purvis, ScotlandIS
- Stuart McKenna, Scottish Training Federation
- George Brown, SQA
- Eoin Welsh, West College Scotland
- Anne Meikle, Women’s Enterprise Scotland
- Ian McCulloch, ITC Academy
- Laura Peacock, Investors in People
- Fiona Stewart, Skills Development Scotland
1.Welcome
Gavin Brown MSP as Co-Convenor opened themeeting and welcomed members.
2.Apologies & matters arising
Gavin Brownnotedthat there were a number of apologies from Members. There wereno matters arising from the previous minutes.
3.Dissolution of Parliament
Gavin Brown noted that with the dissolution of parliament at 00.01 on 24 March 2016, all Cross Party Groups would cease to exist. Post-election it will be for newly elected MSPs to decide if the group is to be re-established.
4.Presentations
Irene Bell, Ishabel Bremner and Geoff Leask of EDAS presented on ‘A Routemap for Common Ambition for Scotland: Policy and Practice Perspectives on Skills’.
Irene Bell provided an overview of EDAS and the work it undertakes as a membership organisation to ensure that economic development is at the forefront of economic debate in Scotland. It hosts events, offers CPD opportunities, provides resources and works in collaboration with other organisations such as Skills Development Scotland and Young Enterprise Scotland. Its strategy is A Routemap for Common Ambition for Scotland which focuses on three key policy areas – innovation, skills and internationalisation.
Ishabel Bremner provided more detail on their Skills Policy Group which focuses on underemployment, future skills needs and workforce planning and noted that these themes had developed from their skills conference which took place on Friday 6 November 2015.
Geoff Leask discussed workforce planning and noted that firms should audit their workforces and plan how to develop them.
Stuart Young noted that in setting up skills academies, the assistance of individual companies was needed. Geoff Leask noted that we all have a role to play to encourage businesses of all sizes to engage.
Margaret Munckton referred to regional skills assessments and noted the importance of ensuring that the live data matrix is up-to-date to match supply with demand.
Michael Lennox noted that they have created a website for the construction sector to attract talent and encourage people to start a career in the industry.
Simon Williams also highlighted that NHS Education for Scotland has put in place pathways that allow people to move upwards and across in the sector and that they recognises prior learning.
6.Any other business
With no further business to conduct Gavin Brown MSP as Co-Convenor thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting.