Denham Approves New National Skills Academies for Enterprise, Power, It and Social Care

7 October 2008: Around 150,000 young people and adults will get the chance to develop world-class skills as entrepreneurs, IT workers, electrical engineers and social carers as four academies were given the go-ahead today by Skills Secretary John Denham.

New skills academies for Enterprise, Power, IT and Social Care will receive up to £30m in capital and revenue funding—matched by employers—to unlock and nurture the talents of a new generation of professionals. They will help thousands of people to become leaders in their chosen fields, as well as helping to tackle current and future skills shortages in areas vital to the future success of our economy.

The four skills academies, now proceeding to the business planning stage, will add to the existing network of twelve national skills academies, ten of which are operational and two in business planning. An estimated 880,000 people will now be supported by all 16 skills academies during their first five years of operation. Total Government investment in the programme will reach an estimated £120m.

Mr Denham said:

“Now, more than ever before, we need to develop innovative training that inspires and empowers a new generation to realise their ambitions. Skills academies put employers in the driving seat to shape training for their industries, building the world-beating workforce that will improve productivity and competitiveness across the country. It is great news that four more sectors are now on their way to joining the growing network of operational National Skills Academies, ensuring that firms get the maximum return on their investment in skills”.

Each skills academy, led by employers, will deliver unique and specially designed training, adapted to the very specific needs of its sector. Training will be offered in a variety of ways to suit both learners and employers alike - on-site, online, at dedicated National Skills Academy colleges, and through existing training providers depending on industry needs.

The four successful skills academies entered bids following our fourth competitive bidding round announced on 5 June 2008. Each bidder will now be invited to produce business plans. Every bid must be appraised by an independent panel, chaired by the Learning & Skills Council.

• The National Skills Academy for Enterprise will be a centre of excellence for enterprise learning, equipping young people with the skills and the confidence they need to become enterprising employees or entrepreneurs in their own right. The skills academy will deliver the UK's first accredited full Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in enterprise and entrepreneurship; it will help teachers and lecturers embed enterprise into their curricula; and it will provide short courses to enable both new and established businesses to become more enterprising. Thousands of learners primarily in 16 -19 age range will be supported by the skills academy in its first three years of operation; the interest already expressed by potential learners has been overwhelming. Over 11,000 learners will be supported in the first three years of the skills academy’s operation.
• The National Skills Academy for Power will support some 69,000 learners in its first three years of operation. The skills academy will address current and future skills shortages to ensure a secure supply of electricity. The electricity industry is facing a range of significant skills challenges including strong competition for skilled people and massive infrastructure renewal and refurbishment programmes. The National Skills Academy for Power will work with the electricity industry to deliver the right skills at the right time and to the right standard, covering all levels of skill from NVQ Level 2 through to Level 8.
• The National Skills Academy for Information Technology will provide a centre of excellence for apprenticeship training, a university-accredited IT Professional Foundation Programme and a suite of new training options for career changers. The skills academy will also establish cohesion in learning and qualifications, encouraging new provision that meets employer needs, and enables IT professionals to gain external recognition of skills. 10,000 learners will benefit during the first thee years of the skills academy’s operation.
• The National Skills Academy for Social Care will benefit a projected 58,000 learners during its first few years of operation. The skills academy will raise standards by giving social care staff, new starters, leaders and managers training and support throughout their careers.

Entrepreneur Peter Jones, who led the bid for the National Skills Academy for Enterprise, said:

“I’m delighted with this commitment from Government to enterprise learning. The funding contribution announced today will help us turn our plans for a £32 million learning programme into reality. Through powerful public and private sector partnership, we can successfully unlock the talent of Britain’s young people and realise the potential of the UK to lead the world in entrepreneurship.

“The new National Skills Academy for Enterprise will focus on developing enterprise and innovation skills to equip the next generation of young people with the skills and confidence they will need to succeed in the modern business world, whether as enterprising employees or starting their own businesses.”

Chris Banks, Chairman of the Learning and Skills Council, said:

“This unique collaboration between Government and industry is key to making high quality skills available to employers and creating opportunities for their employees. There are hundreds of employers involved already, showcasing the network’s close relationships with employers of all sizes and in a diverse range of sectors.”

The new skills academies will join an existing network of twelve. Between them, the original twelve skills academies plan to support around 732,000 people during their first three years of operation. The National Skills Academy for Financial Services, for example, has already delivered 3,000 sector specific courses to learners in its first year of operation. The National Skills Academy for Manufacturing has helped companies like Lotus and Land Rover improve the skills of more than 700 employees.

Two further skills academies for Materials, Production and Supply and Fashion, Textiles and Jewellery are currently in the business planning stage and, if approved, will become operational later this year.