Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are independent, UK wide organisations developed by groups of influential employers in industry or business sectors of economic or strategic significance. SSCs are employer-led and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the sector. SSCs are licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, in consultation with Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to tackle the skills and productivity needs of their sector throughout the UK.
SSCs give responsibility to employers to provide leadership for strategic action to meet their sector's skills and business needs. In return they receive substantial public investment and greater dialogue with government departments across the UK. This will enable sector employers to have a far greater impact on policies affecting skills and productivity, and increased influence with education and training partners.
Each SSC agrees sector priorities and targets with its employers and partners to address four key goals:
- Reducing skills gaps and shortages
- Improving productivity, business and public service performance
- Increasing opportunities to boost the skills and productivity of everyone in the sector's workforce, including action on equal opportunities
- Improving learning supply, including apprenticeships, higher education and national occupational standards
Why do we need them?
Despite the UK economy performing strongly in recent years, UK productivity is still lower than in other advanced economies;
- Output per UK employee is 39% below US workers and 15% below that of France
- The average US worker produced goods or services worth £6,000 more than their British counterparts each year. Skills and the adaptability of our workforce are a key component to meeting this challenge.
The UK faces significant weaknesses in basic and intermediate, craft and technical skills. We also face a weaknesses in management and leadership and the capacity to exploit new technologies and ideas.
An effective sector skills network is vital to communicate real skills needs to those who supply education and training to the workforce of the UK.
