WHO WE ARE
Launched in March 2008, the City & Guilds
Centre for Skills Development is an independent, not for
profit, research and development organisation for vocational
education and training. We are part of the City & Guilds
Group and our mission is to provide an evidence based approach to
policy and practice in skills training. We believe that
vocational skills are a route to economic and social prosperity for
all people.
Our international survey (2008) into
attitudesand perceptions around skills development demonstrated
that there are a number of key common challenges that need to be
addressed globally:
Matching supply and
demand:
To investigate the forecasting and balancing of supply and demand
in skills in order to develop a skilled workforce that meets
economic and social needs.
Achieving industry
engagement:
To link employers, practitioners, and governments in the design and
delivery of skills programmes that meet industry and learner
needs.
Preparing people for
work:
To create opportunities and preparation for work and career
progression through the provision of quality training; improving
the employability and competitiveness of the workforce through
upgrading and/or developing skills.
Improving the perception of vocational
education and training:
To challenge the existing perceptions apparent throughout the world
of vocational education and training and raising its profile.
Ultimately, our work seeks to make a
contribution to each of these areas. Central to CSD’s philosophy is
a belief that beneficial change in skills development can only come
about through the active engagement of all stakeholders in the
system: policy-makers, researchers, funders, employers, learners
and practitioners.