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Employers to drive new skills academies.

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M2 PRESSWIRE-31 October 2005-UK Government: Employers to drive new skills academies(C)1994-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:31102005

Four industries in the UK will today get a major boost with the news that they will get National Skills Academies (NSA) - aiming to be open by September 2006 - transforming their skills base and competitiveness.

Education and Skills Secretary Ruth Kelly and Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson announced today that manufacturing, construction, food and drink, and financial services stand to benefit from a share of up to GBP40 million of investment for the skills academies from both the Government and industry.

The academies could train tens of thousands of young people and adults each year and will play a key part in creating jobs, tackling skills shortages and driving up productivity. For example:

- Manufacturing - this will need many more people trained in engineering and manufacturing skills and leadership and management.

Figures aggregated from the National Employer Skills Survey (NESS) in 2003 suggest this sector currently has around 48,000 vacancies. 13,000 are skill shortage vacancies. A key role of the manufacturing academy led by the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Alliance (SEMTA) would be to encourage more young people and adults to consider a career in the industry by offering real opportunities for progression and skills development, linked closely to the vocational learning offered through schools.

- The construction industry needs around 88,000 new...