Boards and steering groups

ICT Skills Action Group

Message from Chair

Peter Stacey – Head of Apprenticeships O2 UK Operations

"It is a huge privilege for me to continue to act as Chair for this very influential team of ICT/Telecommunications & Call Centre professionals.

The core of the group's objectives is to ensure Apprenticeships and qualifications meet the rigour and requirements within our Sector and that they are delivered with clarity and professionalism across the UK.

The quality and quantity of group output ensures all participants benefit from shared best practice in delivering high quality programmes. We are focused on delivering highly trained young people that thrive within the vocational and educational framework of an Apprenticeship within our Sector across the UK."

Purpose

The purpose of the Information and Communication Technology Skills Action Group (abbreviated as ICT Skills Action Group or ICTSAG) is to bring together key employers and industry stakeholders from the IT and Telecommunications sector to

• Identify issues relating to the skills needs of the UK IT and Telecommunications sector
• Develop appropriate solutions that will support these sector needs
• Implement solutions by taking action in collaboration with stakeholders
• Review and evaluate the effectiveness of the solutions implemented

In particular, the group reviews, devises and develops the ICT Apprenticeship frameworks in order that e-skills UK can ensure that it continues to be relevant, current and appropriate to meet the needs of employers and young people entering the IT and Telecommunications industries.

Context

The activities above are consistent with the overall strategic objectives of e-skills UK, as defined by employers in the Sector Skills Agreement (SSA) for IT, which include the following:

1. Sector attractiveness - promote the sector to attract the required quantity, quality and diversity of suitable potential employees.
2. Skills supply- encourage and support the UK education and training systems, including schools, further and higher education in meeting the skills need of the sector.
3. Workforce development - supply continual re-skilling of the existing workforce for increased productivity and business competitiveness.

The development and maintenance of effective Apprenticeship schemes is key to both the Skills Supply and Workforce development objectives, above.

The group meets four times a year.

Last modified: 29 Feb 2008