News in Brief

e-skills UK rated 'outstanding' in relicensing assessment

Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, announced today that e-skills UK will be relicensed as the Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology. This follows the recent review of all Sector Skills Councils by the National Audit Office (NAO) to determine which should be relicensed as the voice of employers for their sectors.

e-skills UK was rated as 'outstanding', reflecting the impact the company makes and the high regard in which it is held by employers, educators and government. The strength of e-skills UK's performance across all areas of assessment was noted, with particular accolades for its breadth and depth of employer involvement; strategic vision; excellence in research; innovation in standards and qualifications; and the pioneering programmes it leads to address the most important IT skills issues facing the UK.

Larry Hirst, Chair of EMEA, IBM and Chair of e-skills UK, said: "On behalf of all the employers who care about and are committed to the work of e-skills UK, I am delighted with this endorsement.  IT is arguably the UK’s most dynamic and innovative sector.  It has the potential to drive the UK out of this recession and set us on the path to a strong and prosperous future. So it is all the more important that we have a Sector Skills Council that understands and knows how to address our sector's skills needs."
 
Karen Price, CEO of e-skills UK said: "Equipping the UK with the skills to compete in the global digital economy has never been more important. IT underpins every sector of the economy, and having the strongest possible Sector Skills Council for business and information technology is a key asset for the UK. What we have achieved so far is a result of the commitment employers have made to work together to make a difference. We need to make even more of a difference in the future, and will continue to invest all our energy and creativity into achieving that."

The NAO report particularly noted e-skills UK's outstanding Board and leadership. It also highlighted the award-winning CC4G computer clubs programme for schools, and the employer-backed Information Technology Management for Business degree course as examples of best practice in the design and delivery of effective strategic interventions.

The review of e-skills UK was conducted on behalf of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES). For further details and access to the full NAO report, please go to www.e-skills.com/naoreport.

Posted on 23 Jul 2009