ACCA works with Skills Ministers working to boost UK productivity and growth

Skills Minister The Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, Skills England and the UK's Chartered bodies - including ACCA - have come together to support a renewed push to create a high-skill, high productivity workforce capable of delivering long term growth.

This week ACCA UK Director Abdul Goffar met with the government, the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), Skills England, and 11 other Chartered Bodies to explore how best to harness the power of professional bodies to support delivery of the UK government's Industrial Strategy.

The group aims to demonstrate to employers, educators and the wider workforce the key role that Chartered Bodies play in driving excellence, enhancing career progression and improving business performance.

Long a hallmark of British excellence in the international sphere across a range of professional qualifications, Chartered status is synonymous with professional integrity and thriving workplaces.

By fostering trusted professional networks, engaging employers, promoting ethical behaviour, and supporting continuous development, Chartered Bodies play a critical role in building a highly skilled and ethical workforce equipped for both today's challenges and capable of future-proofing the UK economy.

The evidence of the impact of Chartered status is clear, with data showing a wage premium ranging from £8-15,000 annually, most notably for early/mid-career professionals moving from non-chartered roles to becoming Chartered.

Abdul Goffar said: 'ACCA welcomed the chance to explore how to fully capitalise on the power and influence of professional bodies, to support growth and delivery of the Industrial Strategy. ACCA has a powerful story to tell with 48% of ACCA's UK students entering via a non-graduate route, demonstrating a large alternative pathway into a high-status profession.

'ACCA looks forward to carrying on this imitative demonstrating the value of Chartered Bodies should be seen as a key pillar to efforts to transform the UK's workforce into a high-skill powerhouse. We are ready to work with the government to deliver on its growth mission while also improving social mobility and ensuring that increased prosperity reaches every corner of the country.'