Plaudits for SummitSkills
SummitSkills is one of four Sector Skills Councils to have been relicensed by the Department for Business Innovation & Skills. This Sector Skills Council for the building-services engineering sector has also been praised as a well run organisation in the National Audit Office assessment of its performance.
Lord Mandelson, Business Innovations & Skills Secretary, said, ‘Employers can be confident that the four sector skills councils relicensed today, after tough assessments, will continue to provide them with top-notch service.
SummitSkills was set up in 2003. Among its achievements is the production of an integrated set of national occupational standards common to all the industries within its sector. The council has also developed new apprenticeship frameworks for the sector and national occupational standard for environmental technologies.
Over 62 000 installers have been upskilled in energy efficiency, and SummitSkills has contributed to the development of diplomas in two areas for 14 to 19-year olds. Another achievement was the launch of the Good Day campaign to promote careers in the sector.
Keith Marshall, chief executive of SummitSkills, says, ‘We are delighted to have received independent recognition of the work we have been doing to progress the skills base of our sector. Since our formation in 2003, we have been working closely with employers, trade associations and other stakeholders to put in place programmes and systems that are of value to our employers right across the broad spectrum of industries that we cover.
‘Looking to the future, we will continue to work with and listen to employers to understand their business challenges and changing skills needs and, through this engagement and research, will continue to be the authoritative voice of the sector in defining future skill needs and priorities.
‘We will also continue to promote environmental technologies. This is a strong area of growth for the sector to drive change, growth and recovery from the current economic downturn.’
