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Skill Needs of Employers
The Leitch Implementation Plan, the FE Skills White papers (2006 and 2007 update); and more recently, the HM Treasury review of subnational economic development and regeneration, all aim to ensure that skills provision becomes more appropriate to the needs of the employer and ensure that the individual has a better understanding of employers’ needs.
Today there is increasing pressure to deliver greater sustainability and a low carbon economy through both EU and Government policy under the Government’s latest sustainable development strategy, especially in business strategy and technical innovation policy.
Sustainable development has substantial implications for all occupations because they all have an impact on climate change, on economic and social development and on damage to or depletion of the natural environment. For example:
Farmers can produce food more sustainably, in a way that:
Those involved in the construction industry can create more sustainable buildings by:
Today there is increasing pressure to deliver greater sustainability and a low carbon economy through both EU and Government policy under the Government’s latest sustainable development strategy, especially in business strategy and technical innovation policy.
Sustainable development has substantial implications for all occupations because they all have an impact on climate change, on economic and social development and on damage to or depletion of the natural environment. For example:
Farmers can produce food more sustainably, in a way that:
- is healthy and safe;
- uses less agro-chemicals, such as pesticides;
- is cost-effective;
- minimises waste;
- maximises biodiversity;
- takes account of animal welfare and a host of other regulatory legislation.
Those involved in the construction industry can create more sustainable buildings by:
- making them more energy efficient and less dependent on carbon-based energy
- minimising the use of non-renewable resources during construction
- creating less waste during construction
- making better use of natural light
- using less primary aggregates
- Discrete sustainable development skills are those that are currently in demand or will be in demand and relate directly to sustainable development. For example, with the growing challenge of climate change and the decline in finite natural resources, the demand for renewable technologies will increase markedly. There is now a significant need for capacity to be built within the renewable technologies sector, particularly for people equipped with the skills to install renewable technologies.
- Embedded sustainable development skills can be defined as less direct. For example, with the need to green the entire construction chain due to both the direct and indirect impact it is having on the environment, it is necessary for all people in the construction industry to have an appreciation of sustainability issues, whether their job has a direct impact (for example construction workers and the operation of construction sites) or not (for example, those making purchasing decisions for developers).
