The White Paper signals a genuine attempt on government's part to harness the best of the education and training system and radically improve it, to ensure employers have the skilled people they need to make a difference to the bottom line.
The establishment of employer-led Skills Academies is highlighted as a key part of the strategy. Employers and Sector Skills Councils will create the Skills Academies to focus on the needs of each major sector of the economy and help raise the status and value of vocational education and training. They will form world-class centres of excellence, sector by sector, raising standards by fostering innovation and spreading best practice. It is particularly encouraging that Government wants to work with employers and Sector Skills Councils to create new Sector Skills Academies. This is an important and significant opportunity for both the retail motor industry and motor manufacturers to work together to raise skills which will strengthen the sector's performance now and in the future

The White Paper also announces a new National Employer Training Programme, which will deliver free, flexible training for vocational qualifications to the equivalent of five good GCSEs. There will also be new pilots to support vocational training at technician, craft and associate professional level skills (equivalent to two A-levels), the higher-end technical qualifications that our economy needs.
The Skills White Paper stresses the importance of the Sector Skills Agreements which will be designed to ensure that the skills required to improve business performance are identified, delivered and funded. The Agreements will provide a means by which each sector can work with Government and the education and training sector to deliver a joint response to skills priorities. We have begun planning for the work needed in 2005-06.

- Automotive Skills will be working closely with government on the design and development of these new arrangements to ensure they meet the needs of the retail motor industry. For more information please visit www.automotiveskills.org.uk