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National Skills Academy for IT given the green light

A National Skills Academy for IT, announced today and due to open in 2010, will bring together an unprecedented, sector-wide collaboration of employers, educators and stakeholders to meet the skills needs of the IT workforce.

Information technology (IT) skills are critical to the growth of the UK economy. There are currently over a million IT professionals in the UK, with 141,000 new recruits needed every year. The IT industry is predicted to grow at five times the rate of the workforce as a whole and recent research suggests that optimising the ICT capabilities of the UK economy is worth as much as £35 billion a year.

Karen Price, Chief Executive of e-skills UK said: "e-skills UK is delighted to be working with employers across the sector to get the skills academy off the ground. It offers a unique opportunity for employers to take collective responsibility for the skills and accreditation of the IT workforce, with innovative development programmes and qualifications that are valued by the sector. I believe this will play a major role in helping the UK become a world leader in IT in the coming years."

Peter Butler, Head of Learning for the BT Group, said: "BT's engagement with the National Skills Academy is based on the premise that by collaborating with other employers we can take a significant step in ensuring that the sector develops the skills of its people in order to remain competitive in a global economy. We are delighted that the government has acknowledged the important role that the IT and Telecoms sector plays in the success of UK PLC and is supporting the further development of the National Skills Academy. We are looking forward to working with e-skills UK on this exciting agenda."

Skills Secretary John Denham said: "Now, more than ever, we need to develop innovative training that inspires and empowers a new generation to realise their ambitions. A new National Skills Academy for IT will help build a world-beating workforce that will improve productivity and competitiveness - not just among new recruits but within the existing workforce."

The National Skills Academy for IT will focus in particular on accelerating the productivity of new recruits into the workforce, addressing the training needs of the existing IT professional workforce, and enabling the workforce to achieve external recognition of skills.

Through the skills academy, employers will have access to high quality, cost-effective programmes, and be able to source training and internationally-relevant qualifications from trusted providers. Employers will be able to share proven training across the sector and have their own training accredited. Providers of education and training will find it easier to understand and respond to employer demand, and individuals will be able to achieve accreditation and more easily access valued training and qualifications.

Find out more at www.e-skills.com/nsa.

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Editor's note

National Skills Academy Network

1. The national skills academy network is an innovative approach to give industries the specialist skills they need. In addition to the four new skills academies being announced today, there are a further ten active skills academies in the financial services, construction, manufacturing, food and drink manufacturing, nuclear, process industries, sport and active leisure, creative and cultural, retail and hospitality sectors. There are also two skills academies in the business planning stage in materials, production and supply and fashion, textiles and jewellery sectors - taking the total number in the network to 16.

2. Each national skills academy puts employers at the heart of skills training for their sector: they influence the curriculum to ensure it reflects employers' needs; get involved in the skills academy's management; set standards; and influence strategic direction.

National Skills Academies aim to:

• deliver high quality training for a specific sector;
• provide first-class teaching in a modern learning environment;
• be centres of innovation and creativity in skills development for their sector;
• be flexible, sustaining the closest possible relationships with employers of all sizes; and
• build specialist networks with a range of other learning providers, so that new thinking, new methods and higher standards are shared to the benefit of learners and employers.

The national skills academy network was initiated by the Government to address the need for a world class workforce with better skills than ever before. It is managed by the Learning and Skills Council working in partnership with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, the Skills for Business Network and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

3. The Government is committed to having a national skills academy in every major sector of the economy, resources allowing.

About e-skills UK

e-skills UK is the employer-led Sector Skills Council for IT and Telecoms, campaigning to make the UK world class in technology skills. e-skills UK unites employers, educators and government to:

• Inform - ensuring that employers, education and government have access to world class market intelligence to support decision-making and investment;
• Inspire - improving the image and attractiveness of technology careers;
• Educate - helping to prepare young people for successful careers and lives in an increasingly technology-enabled world; and
• Professionalise - supporting employers in the development of a world class workforce.

e-skills UK is part of the Skills for Business network of 25 employer-led Sector Skills Councils.

Posted on 07 Oct 2008