Annex A: Stakeholder needs

This strategic plan is designed to address the needs of the primary stakeholders of the e-skills NTO - the employers and the government and related agencies who provide support, guidance and funding for the organisation. The following is a summary of typical key needs and interests.

Employer needs

 Professional skills:
the IT Industry and employers of IT professionals in other industries

Larger employers
People
- Improved recruitment pool of experienced hires
- More of the best new graduates
- Improved retention of staff
Training and Qualifications
- Faster integration of new hires
- Continual development of the existing workforce
- Simpler ways to assess available training and qualifications
- More cost effective training
Information and influence
- Industry-wide information on future skills and gaps
- Influence with central government and educators

Smaller employers
People
- Ready availability of skills to meet immediate commitments
- More of the best school & college leavers
- Improved retention of professionally skilled staff
Training and Qualifications
- Funding for training (new hires and existing workforce)
- Ease and flexibility of training
- Simpler ways to assess available training and qualifications
- More cost effective training
Information and influence
- Insight into technology exploitation for non-IT companies
- Relationships with leading employers for IT companies
- Contact with local government, local universities and colleges


User skills: all employers
People
- Improved IT user skills amongst existing staff
- Improved IT user skills in older potential recruits
Training and Qualifications
- Easier access to IT user training
- Simplification of qualifications and training options
- Funding for smaller companies' IT user training
Information
and influence
- Practical guidance on keeping staff skills current

Government needs

Many government departments and local agencies actively support strategies to address e-skills issues. Such parties seek the following from the e-skills NTO and the companies it represents:

  • a unified voice of employers to guide policy
  • an authoritative view of industry needs
  • access to leading employers
  • a focal point for UK partnerships working on e-skills
  • creation and implementation of high profile, effective programmes to
  • address skills issues

Particular government and Agency interests relevant to this strategy include:

Government Department
or Agency
Interest
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Business competitiveness
- The UK as a world leader in
e-commerce
Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) - Improved linkage between education and industry
- Improved employability, including implementation of New Deal
The Cabinet Office - Delivery of the government's
e-agenda
- Equal opportunity for women in
IT-related careers
Scottish Executive
National Assembly for Wales
Northern Ireland Executive 		- Nation-specific focus and initiatives
Regional Development Agencies (RDAs)
Scottish Enterprise, and Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Local Enterprise companies 		- Regional competitiveness through development of ICT / e-business infrastructures
- Effective use of funds to improve skills, employability and inclusion
Learning and Skills Council (LSC) - Linkage of industry to schools and colleges
- Effective use of funds to improve competitiveness and employability
- Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
- Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
- Training and Employment Agency (TEA), Northern Ireland
- Awdurdod Cymwysterau, Cwricwlwm ac Asesu Cymru (ACCAC) (the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales) 		- Advice on IT
-related qualifications
- Pervasive use of simplified national standards and frameworks