Home > News > March 2006 > 06-Mar-2006

Improve unveils skills action plan

A formal action plan that aims to boost skills in food and drink manufacturing is being prepared by Improve, the Sector Skills Council for the industry.

Improve says the Sector Skills Action-plan (SSA) will set out what needs to be done to alleviate skill shortages and skill gaps. The plan is expected to be ready for launch in January 2007.

"The SSA will be the live, overarching guide that determines the entire programme of skills development in the sector," explained Improve chief executive Jack Matthews. "It will be the business plan that maps everything we do. The task of devising, managing implementation, and continuously developing the Sector Skills Action-plan is without doubt our most important function.

"At its launch it will be the culmination of a year of extensive research and consultation with representatives of employers, public and private training providers, and government departments, all of whom will have to agree the plan before it can be implemented. Improve will be responsible for co-ordinating the effort to put in place the required additional training to meet the plan's objectives. And over time the Sector Skills Action-plan will be subject to continuous review in response to employers' changing needs.

"While we work through the comprehensive programme of drafting the plan, we are not holding back on implementing some of the more wide-ranging elements that are already agreed - such as the establishment of a National Skills Academy, the introduction of the Green Card passport to skills, the overhaul of Apprenticeship Frameworks, and the establishment of a new, co-ordinated Qualifications Framework through implementation of our Sector Qualifications Strategy.

"This is the first time that the sector has had the opportunity to have a properly co-ordinated plan to boost skills in order to drive up productivity and profitability. So far the response to our initiatives from all parties involved has been excellent, and we are working extremely hard to ensure that the training provision is properly reformed to address the needs of employers.

"I am sure that the consultation process for the Sector Skills Action-plan - the most important initiative of all - will attract a great deal of interest and, crucially, extensive input from all of our partners who are engaged in this exciting skills development programme."

External link

Improve

Training Reference is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.

Training and development books

Discover books on a variety of training and development topics at the Training Reference Bookshop

Source suppliers

Visit the Training Reference Directory to view supplier details for a wide range of courses, products and services.

Sponsored links

Back to top