Dear applicant,

I am delighted that you have taken the time to look at our recruitment website.  

The UK Commission for Employment and Skills is a new organisation that launched on 1 April 2008. We were created following Lord Leitch’s 2006 review “prosperity for all in the global economy – world class skills” which set out why and how the UK needs to increase the skills of its workforce.

Chaired by Sir Michael Rake, Chair of BT, and led by a board of 20 highly influential commissioners, we are tasked with advising government on skills strategies and policies.  In addition to our advisory capacity it is vital that we challenge the complex and, at times unclear, skills system within the UK.  

An early focus for the UK Commission will be helping to simplify the skills system for employers, proposing constructive areas for improvement based on robust research, consultation with employers and the constant monitoring of change and progress. We will be making a major contribution to ensuring that the ‘graduates’ of our employment and skills system at all levels are as well prepared for the 21st century workplace as possible.

We will make recommendations to government and advise on a number of thorny issues such as the incentives that can be used to encourage employers to invest in the skills of their staff and whether employers should be required to allow staff time off to study.  

Ultimately, our goal is not just to raise the skills of the UK workforce but, through this, raise the prosperity of the UK through increased productivity, international competitiveness, increased employment and a more inclusive society.

There are a number of roles, at differing levels, available throughout the organisation and we are looking to attract a diverse range of highly talented and motivated people. There are some key attitudes and behaviours that we are looking for from all applicants to ensure that the UK Commission has a positive work culture and the necessary skills within its workforce to achieve success.

In particular we are looking to attract people who: want to be part of making a new organisation successful; are looking to work in a challenging environment which is sometimes ambiguous, and always fast paced; will understand the landscape that the organisation operates within, or who can quickly submerge themselves in the issues we are tackling. So, whatever your personal specialism, if you demonstrate excellence in your working life and want to be part of the employment and skills solution for the UK then please look further to see whether one of our opportunities might be for you.

More information is available at the UKCES website.