OUR FUTURE. IT'S IN OUR HANDS

'Our future. It's in our hands' is the memorable strapline that accompanies the much anticipated Skills Campaign, with the worthy ambition of 'transforming the way people think, feel and act towards learning and skills'. But what's the thinking behind it and why is the campaign rolling out its message now?

Last December, Lord Leitch published his Review of Skills in the UK and set an ambitious challenge for the UK to become a world leader in all levels of skills. His report states that, if the challenge is met, the UK will increase its position in the global economy, and on the journey, far exceed many of its current targets and aspirations with a key milestone being the year 2020, as the Leitch review recommends that the UK should commit to becoming a world leader in skills by 2020.

Central to Lord Leitch's findings is that employers are increasingly demanding vocational, applied and academic skills relevant to the workplace, and at all levels of learning; from basic and intermediate to advanced and professional skills.

Gary Rae, head of marketing and communications for the LSC in Yorkshire and the Humber, explains: "One of the key ways that we can increase and focus the effort towards meeting these aims is by transforming the way individuals and businesses value learning and skills.

"This is becoming ever more important in an environment where we aim to increase dramatically the level of 'demand' around the type of learning people do and, in some cases, balanced with the amount people and employers are prepared to pay and invest in their future learning."

Partners
The LSC, The Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Sector Skills Development Agency are the driving force behind the skills campaign, supported by a raft of national, regional and local partners such as colleges, training providers, regional development agencies, right across the learning and skills sector.

Hearts and Minds
The Skills Campaign aspires to transform the way people think, feel and act about learning and skills so that over time, the demand for it, and investment in it, in terms of time and money, increases.

Gary Rae continues: "The Skills Campaign message 'Our future - it's in our hands' is an overarching message that will flow through everything that we do. All current LSC marketing and communication campaigns will be aligned under the Skills Campaign banner so that there is a consistent and concerted push towards changing the hearts and minds of learners and employers in the UK."

Campaign Delivery
The campaign was launched on 09 July 2007 and agreement has been received from Ministers for a 3-5 year investment. It uses a variety of media and includes a website and helpline.

The campaign targets adults, young people and employers, directing them to the relevant services, programmes and funding. For example, parts of the campaign target employers, directing them to the Train to Gain service. Similarly the overarching message can be used to promote the Adult Learning Grant, which is being rolled out nationally in September 2007.

It is designed to be a simple, effective and powerful way of promoting all the services delivered by the LSC and our partner organisations.

Gary Rae concludes: "We need to work together to make people sit up and listen, make people realise that if they want to succeed in life, everything is in place to help them, they just have to reach for it. The onus is on the individual, they just have to take the first step themselves.

"Put simply, the Skills Campaign aims to create a belief in people that they have the capacity to learn better skills and by doing so, improve their working life, now and in the future."

The call to action for employer's adults and young people will be to call 088000 11 30 30 or visit the Skills Campaign website by clicking the button below."

The LSC in Yorkshire and the Humber has started working with regional partners to encourage them to adopt the Skills Campaign inspirational messages, marketing collateral and strap line Our future. It's in our hands. The idea is that if all efforts are added together then collectively the message will be stronger. For further information about campaign resources and advice on their use, our partners should call 020 7413 3400 or email skillscampaign@lsc.gov.uk

Click the podcast logo above to view the LSC Skills Campaign advert.