To get specialist skills that matter to your business, you need expertise from your business sector. By working with the Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) we make sure we meet the specific needs of different types of business.
What are the Sector Skills Councils?
The Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are employer-driven organisations working to improve skills in each business sector. They identify the skills the sector will need in the future, and make sure that employers understand their training needs and options. Find out more about the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils in more detail.
Working together: SSCs and Train to Gain
To meet the needs of all business sectors, we are setting up agreements - called sector compacts - to work together with the SSCs. This means you can be sure your skills broker, college and training provider will understand how your business sector operates and the recent developments that affect your specific skills needs.
The agreements offer the possibility to fund high-level training in the skills that matter to each sector. The SSCs offer expert understanding of their sector and can pinpoint training that delivers real business benefits.
The first sector skills compact – the Train to Gain service's agreement to work together with an SSC – was signed by the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies (semta) in May 2008.
Why are sector-specific skills important?
As businesses strive to compete, more and more are working to increase their skills – for instance, the amount employers spent on training increased by 16% in 2007, to a total of £3.68 billion.
As businesses become more skilled, they focus on gaining the vital skills for their particular business sector. A biotechnology company, a textile business, a police force – all need very different skills, and high levels of specific knowledge and expertise.
To stay competitive, your business needs to keep up with new developments in your sector and move forward with new initiatives. Providing your staff with high-level skills and understanding increases your chance of success.
Volunteers (the third sector)
The Government defines the third sector as consisting of non-governmental organisations that are value-driven and that principally reinvest their surpluses to further social, environmental or cultural objectives.
The third sector includes voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises, co-operatives and mutuals.
Many people work and volunteer in the third sector. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations UK Voluntary Sector Almanac 2007 shows that there are 611,000 paid workers in the UK voluntary sector, as well as an estimated 11 million volunteers. Recent figures also suggest that, every year, the sector contributes £7 billion to UK GDP and £25 billion to society overall.
Train to Gain and the Third Sector is a booklet designed to explain Train to Gain to Third Sector Employers and Employees.
