The Department for Education and Employment has put out a call for contributions to its consultation on the future of a National Training Organisation for the telecoms sector.

The consultation follows last November's announcement that NTO tele.com was to be placed into administration following the collapse of a training provider contracted to it. Rather than put in place a temporary representative for the sector, the DfEE has chosen to undertake a consultation process because it sees the telecommunications sector as playing a particularly important role within the UK economy.

The consultation, which is seeking the views of employers in the telecoms industry and other interested groups, is part of wider plans to re-organise the current network of 75 NTOs (which together represent 93% of the UK workforce), announced by minister in x. The government wants to see a smaller but more effective network of NTOs in place. Because of this the DfEE is against establishing a new NTO for the telecommunications sector, but is interested in finding out how representatives from the telecoms sector could work together with the other NTOs in the IT, communications and electronics (ITCE) sectors (Engineering and Marine Training Authority, e-skills NTO, Publishing NTO and Skillset).

The DfEE is interested in hearing from employers and other interested parties about how they see future skills needs in the industry, how technologies are converging, and hence how best to maintain and develop NTO arrangements. The consultation document, which should be returned by 30 March, is available at www.dfee.gov.uk/consultations/ntotelecom. Comments can also be e-mailed to dfee.telecom@dfee.gov.uk.