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Sector Resources

Sector Fact Sheets

Sector fact sheets are currently being developed for the South West by the Learning and Skills Council. These fact sheets will soon be available to download.

The Sector Balance Sheet

What is the Sector Balance Sheet?

The Sector Balance Sheet is a key regional resource of labour market data at an industry level. It pulls together information that can be provided by key robust data sources such as the Annual Population Survey (APS) and the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI). The data is presented in a series of spreadsheets at a regional level for SIC, SSC and SWRDA priority sector industry breakdowns.

Sectors

What are industry sectors?

Industries are often referred to as goods (producing a product) or service (providing a service) industries. Industries are classified according to the main Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) as follows:

Industries are also often referred to as being in the primary, secondary or tertiary sector.

Priority sectors in the region

The South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) has identified a number of industry sectors within the South West that are key to the economic growth and development of the region. The sectors currently receiving active support through the South West RDA are as follows:

Established Regional Sectors:
Sectors that are important to the region for either employment, GDP or because they are a specialised sector for the region. These are Aerospace, ICT, Food & Drink, Marine and Tourism.

Emerging Sectors:
Sectors that have the potential to be important to the economy of region in the future. These are Creative Industries, Biotechnology and Environmental Technologies.

The recent review of the Regional Economic Strategy (Sept 2005) has proposed some changes to these sectors. Eight priority sectors are proposed as a focus for specific activities (such as sector networks, supply chain development and sector skills programmes) to raise business productivity. These are:

In addition, five sectors are identified as a focus for specific activity to improve skills and the operation of an efficient labour market, while at the same time supporting overall regional economic growth:

The RDA have some pages on the priority sectors as part of their website which also contains a link to the State of the Key Sectors Volumes 1 and 2, a report reviewing the key sectors in the South West.

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs)

What are SSCs?

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) exist to bring together businesses and stakeholders to meet the skills challenge – identifying skills their employees are missing and developing actions plans to tackle those skills shortages. Each SSC is an employer-led, independent organisation that covers a specific sector across the UK. The four key goals of SSCs are:

  1. To reduce skills gaps and shortages
  2. Improve productivity, business and public service performance
  3. Increase opportunities to boost the skills and productivity of everyone in the sector's workforce
  4. Improve learning supply including apprenticeships, higher education and National Occupational Standards (NOS).

All SSCs are licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, in consultation with Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Within the UK there are 25 Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) which make up the Skills for Business Network. The 25 SSCs are as follows:

For more information and contact details about each SSC is available from the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) website. The SSDA is responsible for funding, supporting and monitoring the SSCs.

What are Sector Skills Agreements (SSAs)?

SSAs are agreements between employers within a sector and its related SSC designed to map out the skills needs of each sector workforce and how they will be supplied.

Each SSA is created through a five stage process:

  1. An assessment is made of each sector to determine short, medium and long-term skills needs.
  2. A review is conducted of current training provision across all levels to measure the range, nature and employer relevance of the provision.
  3. The main gaps and weaknesses in workforce development are analysed and priorities agreed.
  4. A review is conducted into the scope for collaborative action, engaging employers to invest in skills development, and an asessment of what employers are likely to sign up to.
  5. The final outcome is an agreement of how the SSC and employers will work with funding partners to secure the necessary supply of training.

More information about SSAs is available here.

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