From a DfEE press release:
Lifelong Learning Minister Malcolm Wicks told the National Training Organisations that they are the key to levering up skills levels. In the new structure for delivering training at work and workforce development described in the White Paper, Learning to Succeed, the NTOs will have the pivotal role of identifying skills shortages as the ‘voice of employers’.
Speaking at the NTO National Conference in Daventry, Mr Wicks sketched out the increasing importance of NTOs in driving up UK competitiveness in business and the expertise of workforces:
"NTOs have a new pivotal role in identifying the future skills needs and providing labour market information, both of which are fully recognised in the Skills Task Force report and White Paper. The NTOs’ well researched Skills Foresight reports are essential to this. The Engineering and Marine Training Authority, for example, is currently looking at skill needs, not just nationally, but making a detached examination regionally.
"The fifteen NTO Groups involved in the skills dialogue process, working with partners, will enable NTO information to inform Government policy and guide planning and funding of training. New partners such as the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and the Small Business Service (SBS) for example will depend on the advice offered by the NTOs to structure their planning and resources.
"NTOs are getting together in groups to talk to education and training bodies such as the LSC, when established, and the RDAs about sectoral skills and their impact on the local economy. The Construction Industry Forum is a good example of a sector integrating its future training needs with the national agenda, by ensuring that the construction industry is offered coherent, whole-industry training and personal development policies and programmes.
"The NTO responsibilities for standard setting and qualifications will be critical in the drive to improve relevance and quality of training. The Government will complete and strengthen the NTO network, including 15 NTO Groups, to be ready to forge links with the new Council.
"The Government is already helping NTOs and RDAs build up a good working relationship through Skills Dialogues. My Department and the NTOs are also in the process of creating a national database of information on which the RDAs will draw. We are also helping NTOs directly to relate at regional level by supporting a network of NTO regional representatives through the NTO National Council.
"NTOs also need to develop effective partnership with the SBS to help drive up skills and training with small and medium-sized employers. The SBS needs to fully understand the important role that NTOs can play in identifying and meeting the training needs of SMEs.
"We live in a rapidly changing world in which competitor nations are becoming progressively better educated and trained. We face an economy driven by knowledge and our distinctive capabilities are no longer raw materials, land or labour, but knowledge, skills and creativity.
"Need to put in place a learning and skills framework - so that the UK can take a leading role in the new global economy. NTOs are central to this. We have recognised over 70. They are well placed to provide the ‘voice of employers’ needed to push forward the skills agenda throughout the UK.
"Not since days of the full ITB (Industry Training Board) system have employment sector interests been so well placed to drive training arrangements in UK, and provide strategic leadership for sectors."
