Sixteen of Europe’s leading experts on skills and productivity are being brought together to form a think-tank to drive forward the effectiveness of UK plc.

Leading lights from the worlds of academia, research, commerce and human resources have been invited to sit on a new expert panel to advise the new Skills for Business network on how to boost productivity and make sure the workforce is up to scratch.

Using their knowledge, existing data, and new research the panel will advise on the national policy of Skills for Business and the new network of Sector Skills Councils (SSCs).

The remit of the panel will be to:
* Advise where UK employers need most support and help to ensure employee skills levels are high, and productivity is increased.
* Identifying where existing and future skills issues may arise so that they can be addressed early.
* Analyse new and existing data to understand skills issues.
* Advise where new research needs to be done to increase knowledge.

Professor Mike Campbell, Director of Strategy and Research at Skills for Business, who will chair the panel, said: “In this environment we’ll be able to air and discuss some of the most pressing skills issues for businesses today.

"As well as looking at what opportunities and challenges we’ll face in the future, we’ll also look at current problems so that we can advise and help develop the correct path towards being able to harness the best value from a highly skilled workforce.”

Recommendations from the panel will help inform policies on how to help businesses develop training programmes to improve the quality and effectiveness of their workforces.

The inaugural meeting of the panel took place on 9 June 2004 and their work will continue throughout the next 12 months.