The working group will study the Leitch Review and publish a full response by early February 2007. They will consider the impact that the Leitch Review will have on careers education and guidance in the UK, and how this links to the work if the ICG.
Several organisations have released statements in response to the Leitch Review expressing their support and commitment to the review's aims. Here is a selection of the key quotes.
TUC (Trades Union Congress) General Secretary Brendan Barber said 'Lord Leitch's call on employers to publicly pledge their commitment to increase skills sends a strong message to those employers who short change staff, and the UK economy, by refusing to train. The TUC, and its learning and skills organisation unionlearn, wills step up our campaign to ensure everyone has the opportunity top learn at work throughout their lives and revitalise Britain's skills base.'
Responding to the report, NIACE (The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education) Director Alan Tuckett stated 'the ball is now firmly in the employers' court. If the government accepts Lord Leitch's recommendations, there can be no excuses if they fail to deliver. The recommendation that government consider a statutory entitlement to workplace learning in 2010 if progress is slow means that employers will be compelled to take training seriously'.
Reacting to Lord Leitch's final report, Richard Lambert, Director-General of the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) said 'Currently, too many employers remain confused and bewildered by the skills infrastructure. There is a clear need to ensure a better match between publicly-funded courses and the training and development that employers and employees are looking for. The CBI will encourage its members to respond to Leitch's call for employees gain a basic skills and GCSE-level qualification by using the Government's 'Train to Gain' initiative.'
The Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) Chief Executive Mark Haysom welcomes Lord Leitch's vision for world-class skills saying 'It is a big challenge to be world-class. We have collectively already made considerable progress but there is much, much more which needs to be done.' It is imperative that our country has the skills to compete globally, now and in the future.
Ann Ruthven, NAEGA's Chair welcomed proposals for a new universal adult careers service in England by Lord Leitch stating that 'it is important that people have access to information on regional, national and international opportunities for learning and work so that they can make their way in the global economy that Lord Leitch wants us to prepare for. We hope that Lord Leitch's report will bring about a genuinely universal adult careers guidance service for the whole of the UK.' | 
