New Statesman: The developing Skills for Business network

"I urge all of you here today to support the work of the Sector Skills Councils in driving forward this agenda and to provide leadership in your sectors, working in partnership with government, trade unions and others so that we can ensure that, in British industry and across the economy, we have the skills we urgently need to prosper. So we stand ready in government across the United Kingdom - to work with you in a powerful new partnership to deliver on this challenge."

Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, speaking during the Skills for Business Convention, November 2002

The new Skills for Business network is in its early development stage. It currently consists of two types of organisations. Five trailblazer Sector Skills Councils have already been establishing new ways of working during the first year of their two-year licences. A further ten organisations are 'Sector Skills Councils-in-development'; working towards full five-year licences. Some of these are so fledgling that they don't even have proposed names as yet. The first five-year licences will be granted from April 2003 after strict criteria have been met.

The Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA)

Once the Skills for Business network is fully established it will consist of some 25 to 30 Sector Skills Councils - representing around 85% of the total UK workforce. The Sector Skills Development Agency will take responsibility for covering the remaining workforce in addition to its other duties. For further details about the Skills for Business network as a whole, visit the Sector Skills Development Agency's website at www.ssda.org.uk

'TRAILBLAZER' SECTOR SKILLS COUNCILS

Name: Cogent

Sector: Oil and Gas Extraction, Chemicals Manufacturing and Petroleum Industries

Sector Coverage: Oil and gas exploration and extraction: chemicals manufacturing and processing; petroleum refining, blending, storage and distribution; forecourt operations; oil-fired heating services; manufacture of aviation fuels, bitumen and inks

www.cogent-ssc.com

Name: Lantra

Sector: Environmental and Land-based Industries

Sector Coverage: Agricultural livestock and crops; animal care; animal technology: aquaculture; environmental conservation: equine; farriery; fencing; fisheries management; floristry; game conservation; land-based engineering: landscaping: productive horticulture; tree and timber; veterinary nursing

www.lantra.co.uk

Name: Skilifast-UK

Sector: Apparel, Footwear and Textile Industries

Sector Coverage: Textile production; technical textiles; man-made fibre production; manufacture of clothing and allied products; leather production; manufacture of leather goods; manufacture of footwear; shoe repair; linked retail; associated design

www.skillfast-uk.org

Name: Skillset

Sector: Audio Visual Industries

Sector Coverage: Broadcast; film; video and interactive media

www.skillset.org

Name: Skillsmart

Sector: Retail Industry

Sector Coverage: All UK retailers

www.skillsmart.org.uk

'SECTOR SKILLS COUNCILS IN-DEVELOPMENT'

Proposed Name: Automotive Skills Council

Sector: Sales, Maintenance and Repair of Vehicles

Sector Coverage: Providers of servicing, maintenance, repair and valeting services; bodyshops (repairers, rebuilders and refinishers); vehicle inspection and MOT testing; specialist sellers and fitters of parts, accessories, and motor fuels; vehicle rental, leasing and flees management and insurance; roadside assistance and recovery

www.automotivesskills.org.uk

Proposed Name: CITB

Sector: Construction

Sector Coverage: Building; civil engineering; specialist building services

www.citb.co.uk

Proposed Name: e-skills UK

Sector: Information Technology, Telecommunications and Contact Centres

Sector Coverage: IT including IT Consulting and Services, technical support (software and hardware engineering), software development. outsourdng, e-business and IT operations (in all industries); Telecoms, Communications and networking; Call and Contact Centres.

www.e-skills.com

Proposed Name: Proskills

Sector: 6 Process and Manufacturing Industries

Sector Coverage: Glass; extractives; coatings; refractories and building products; paper and furniture

www.proskills.org.uk

Proposed Name: SEMTA

Sector: Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Industries

Sector Coverage: Basic metal manufacture; metal products; mechanical equipment; electronics; electrical equipment; motor vehicles; aerospace; other transport equipment - building and repairing of ships, boats, railway and tramway locomotives, and rolling stock; motorcycles; bicycles

www.emta.org.uk

Proposed Name: Skills for Logistics

Sector: Freight Logistics Industry Sector Coverage: Freight transport by road; storage and warehousing; activities of other transport agencies; courier services; air freight (other scheduled air transport) rail freight (other transport via railways); freight inland sea and coastal water transport

www.skills4logistics.org

Proposed Name: skillsactiveUK

Sector: Sport, Physical Recreation, Active Leisure

Sector Coverage: Sport; recreation; children's play; health and fitness; outdoor education; training, caravans; recreation and adventure

www.ccpr.org.uk/ed&trainskillsactiveuk.htm

Proposed Name: SummitSkills

Sector: Electra-technical, Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Plumbing Industries

Sector Coverage: Designers, installers and maintenance engineers of electro-technical, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and plumbing; oil and Gas fitting, design, installation and maintenance

www.summitskills.org.uk

Sector: Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism

Sector Coverage: Hotels, restaurants, pubs and bars, hospitality services, contract catering, holiday parks (some aspects), caravan parks (some aspects), youth hostels, travel services, tourist services, events, gambling and betting, clubs, dance halls and discos, and visitor attractions

www.ttento.co.uk

Sector: justice and Custodial Care

Sector Coverage: Prison services, immigration detention, court and secure escort services, electronic monitoring, military corrections, probation services, youth offending schemes, victim support, crime reduction and community safety, police forces, prosecution services, judiciary and magistracy, court management and administration.