Sector Skills Councils

What are Sector Skills Councils?

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are independent, strategic, UK-wide organisations and have responsibility for skills and workforce development of all those employed in their sectors - from professional staff to tradesmen and women, administrative staff, support staff and other ancillary workers. They also cover all sizes of employer, from large firms to micro-businesses and the self employed. Each SSC is an employer-led organisation that actively involves trade unions, professional bodies and other key stakeholders. Collectively the SSCs form the Skills for Business Network, responsible for tackling the skills and productivity needs of the UK. The Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) is responsible for funding, supporting and monitoring the network of Sector Skills Councils. All SSCs are licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, in consultation with Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What is their purpose/role?

SSCs have been established to influence how training is delivered in the UK. All SSCs have the same four key goals and each SSC is responsible for dealing with the skills needs within their sector across the UK. The four key goals of SSCs are:

• Reduce skills gaps and shortages
• Improve productivity
• Increase opportunities for all individuals in the workforce
• Improve learning supply

SSCs give employers direct influence on training policy. Unlike the former National Training Organisations, which were responsible only for apprenticeship training, Sector Skills Councils are looking at education and training at all levels, from apprenticeships to Masters Degrees.

How could SCCs influence HE and FE?

The SSCs will be expecting institutions to develop the skills required in students entering the workplace for the first time. They will also be looking to institutions to develop the existing workforce by providing suitable Foundation Degrees, Honours Degrees and Masters programmes. In particular, they will be looking for Foundation Degrees and Masters programmes to be formulated to meet the needs of their sector, and may seek out suitable and responsive institutions to develop bespoke courses. This upskilling of the existing workforce is likely to provide a supply of mature students who wish to study part time or by distance learning.

Which Sector Skills Councils are relevant to the biosciences?

There are currently 25 SSCs covering all sectors of the economy from textiles to finance and IT. There are 3 SSCs relevant to the biosciences, SEMTA, Lantra and Improve, information about their activities and links to their websites are available below.

SEMTA – Science, Engineering Manufacturing Technologies Alliance

SEMTA represents 100,000 companies employing 2,500,000 people in the UK. Of relevance to the Biosciences are the Sector Strategy Groups in Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals and Forensic Science. Sector Skills agreements are available; foundation degree frameworks have only currently been produced for the engineering sector.

SEMTA has produced a flyer discussing the laboratory practical skills which constitute the required competency standards for businesses requiring a laboratory workforce.

Lantra – The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector

Lantra has a detailed web site that contains information under the broad subject areas of:

• Land Management & Production
• Animal Health & Welfare
• Environmental Industries

They produce a monthly e-bulletin that includes current news and events, together with region specific news for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Of particular relevance to HE in FE are the:

• Environmental and Land-based Sector Skills Agreements (stages 1-3)
• National Occupational Standards at level 4 in Agricultural Management, Amenity Horticulture Management, Animal Care and Management, and Equine Business Management
• Industry Action Plans
• Foundation degree brochure
• Foundation degree frameworks for Animal Health and Welfare, Environmental Industries, and Land Management and Production

Lantra encourage course developers to discuss the content of foundation degree with them and offer to supply letters of support for programmes that align with their frameworks. For more information regarding foundation degrees contact Chris Catchpole chriscatchpole@lantra.co.uk

Improve Ltd – The Food & Drink Sector Skills Council

Improve Ltd is the Sector Skills Council for Food and Drink Manufacturing across the UK. Two main projects will dominate 2006: the Skills Academy and the Sector Skills Agreement (SSA). The SSA will develop the plan to deliver key skills into the sector while the Skills Academy will provide the platform to deliver these key skills. As well as posting current news on their web site, Improve produce a monthly e-newsletter which you can subscribe to.

Of particular relevance to HE in FE is the foundation degree framework which aims to:

• Ensure that Foundation Degrees are developed in line with employers' needs
• Encourage employer engagement with educational institutions offering Foundation Degrees
• Raise the profile of Foundation Degrees with both employers and employees

For more information regarding foundation degrees contact Geraldine Craven geraldine.craven@improveltd.co.uk

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