Identifying skill needs in the UK

The contribution outlines the national system for identifying changing skill needs in the UK, and briefly reviews corresponding work at regional, local and sectoral levels. It mentions the main methods used for assessing changing educational and training needs in the UK at various levels. The recent focus on local assessment of skill needs in the UK has resulted in an explosion of research, with an immense number of detailed studies being undertaken. The chapter describes the changing institutional arrangements for identifying skill needs and delivering education and training, and reviews the significance of such changes in the UK over recent years, focusing on both technical and institutional issues. It also offers a more critical perspective on the role of the State in anticipating changing skill needs