governance good practice guide

Leitch report (2006)

'Prosperity for all in the global economy – world class skills'

The Government commissioned Lord Sandy Leitch to identify the UK’s optimal skills mix in 2020 to maximise economic growth, productivity and social justice, and to consider the policy implications on colleges for achieving the level of change required.

The report, entitled 'Prosperity for all in the global economy – world class skills', published in December 2006, sets out a vision for the UK, which shows that the UK economy must urgently raise achievement at all levels of skills by 2020.

The work of Lord Leitch complements the Foster review by highlighting the areas of focus for long-term skills strategy across the UK, by committing to four targets by 2020:

1. 95% of adults to achieve the basic skills of functional literacy and numeracy
   
2. 90%+ of adults to be qualified to at least level 2, with a commitment to go further and achieve 95% as soon as possible
   
3. shifting the balance of intermediate skills from level 2 to level 3, and boosting the number of apprentices to over 500,000 a year
   
4. 40%+ of adults to be qualified to level 4 and above, with a commitment to further progression.