Government unveils skills master plan

The government yesterday announced plans to reform its sector skills councils. The move is designed to give employers greater opportunity to shape skills, employment programmes and vocational qualifications to better ensure the UK has the high-end skills employers are demanding.

Karen Price, chief executive of E-skills UK, the skills council for the IT sector, welcomed the move, claiming it would help ensure that students are gaining the high-tech skills businesses require.

"We are delighted that the Government has responded to the recommendations of the Leitch Review by placing employers at the heart of skills development; introducing a demand-led approach to skills that focuses on aligning learning with employer needs, and including a commitment to direct funding to the qualifications that best meet those needs," Price said. "We look forward to working with employers and partners to take this forward for IT and Telecoms."

The boost to the sector skills councils is just one of a package of measures included in the government's new report on implementing the recommendations of last year's Leitch Review into the skills the UK will need to be competitive in 2020.

The World Class Skills report also announced plans for a new UK Commission for Employment and Skills; an expansion of the Train to Gain employer support service; and an initiative to encourage universities to focus more on "workforce development".

IT vendors are also likely to support new plans to make it easier for businesses to have their own training schemes officially accredited.

Meanwhile, employees will be given access to a range of new adult careers service and an increase in the funding entitlement for adults to free basic training.

Price said the focus on developing economically valuable skills and co-operating more with the higher education sector would prove particularly valuable in helping the UK tackle its ongoing IT skills crisis.

See also:

Government's skills campaign faces criticism

Critics claim new advertising campaign needs to be backed by wider reforms if government is to tackle IT skills crisis  10 Jul 2007

IT Skills crisis continues to bite

New eSkills report highlights employers' concerns over skills levels of new recruits  06 Jun 2007

E-skills UK stands by its new IT qualifications

The UK's IT skills quango denies that its new framework will confuse IT staff and employers alike  30 Mar 2007

e-skills launches IT skills framework

New professional competency model from e-skills could improve levels of IT professionalism  29 Mar 2007

Millions still lack basic IT skills

New Eurostat survey reveals UK citizens are above the EU average for IT competence, with men outperforming women across the region  06 Mar 2007

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