This month sees the merger of two National Training Organisations working in the IT sector. The Information Technology National Training Organisation(ITNTO) will join forces with the e-business.nto to become the e-Skills NTO (National Training Organisation).

Initially the e-business.nto were keen to retain their independence as an organisation, but the ITNTO were keen to forge stronger links. In March, Alwyn Welch, newly appointed as chairman of the ITNTO said; "we have a crazy situation of competing NTOs in IT. It's ridiculous."

It's not clear what may have caused the turn-around in the e-business.nto's thinking, but it's likely the government will support the move to a greater collaboration between the numerous NTOs with an IT remit.

The new NTO will perform three key roles - to represent the IT industry, to address the skills needs of employers of IT practitioners across the UK, and it will work to improve the IT user skills of the workforce.

Alwyn Welch: "The UK needs a single clear and empowered voice in IT skills; we sincerely wish that all the people in both NTOs will play a critical role in the future to make sure we get just that."

The new e-Skills NTO will also work with NTO tele.com (telecommunications) and Skillset (NTO for broadcast media) on a new initiative being launched to encourage young people to consider IT as a career.