1. The Local Response Cheshire and Warrington Learning and Skills Council Anne Petry Director of Innovation and Inclusion Steve Astington ICT and E-Learning Adviser

2. Cheshire and Warrington Learning and Skills Council Location

3.  Over 4,500 employees in Cheshire and Warrington in ITCE sector.  Recent strong job growth.  Research suggests that genuine skill shortages exist.  Routes for new entrants entering the industry.  Importance of quality work based training. Information Technology, Communications and Electronics (ITCE) Sector Overview

4. Employee and Employment Sites Breakdown Cheshire &RegionalNational Warrington Employees4715 (0.9%)19,254 (0.7%)235,475 (0.9%) Employment Units146 (0.4%)836 (0.3%)9,341 (0.4%) Employment Units Breakdown Size Band1- 1011- 49 50- 199 200+ Total Number11118 11 6 146 Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2000 Information Technology, Communications and Electronics (ITCE) Sector Overview

5. Information Technology, Communications and Electronics Key Issues :-  Raising the awareness of ITCE within schools.  Need to increase the number of female employees.  Increasing tasters and work- experience placements.  Recognition of differing pathways into ITCE employment.

6. Cheshire and Warrington LSC is working with:-  Centres of Vocational Excellence (COVE) initiatives.  Cheshire Information Consortium and NWDA.  Regional Ufi staff and Cheshire and Warrington hub.

7. Centres of Vocational Excellence New Media Design, Mid-Cheshire College Regional & industry- targeted HE Employers Schools Community Other Partners

8. Cheshire and Warrington LSC is working with:-  Projects to increase access to ICT in the community.  Support for local UK Online initiatives.

9. What would community based success look like?  local ICT Champions in place  community access points  training opportunities  links to appropriate networks  Community Grids developed and beyond …  educational achievement  progression to FE/HE  employment

10. This project seeks to make Cheshire and Warrington, through research and effective partnership, a Centre of Excellence for the Telecommunications and ICT Sector :- IT / Telecommunications Centre of Excellence  A web-site on jobs and learning opportunities.  Identifying the range of current and future job roles and skills.  Working partnership of learners, employers, education and training providers.

11. Project involving LSC and Business Link as key partners. Breakfast briefing events during March and April. 48 Organisations from Industry, Education and Public Sector. Feedback :- 46 believed that the Centre of Excellence concept was sound 43 believed that there were benefits for their organisation 39 were interested in playing a part in the development IT / Telecommunications Centre of Excellence

12. Graduates into Hi-Tech Employment Project www.chester.ac.uk/cwrs/ Now offered as CPD award for IT Professionals Modular Post- Graduate Programme To enhance professional and personal skills of employed people working in ICT Based on the concept of learning through work Includes personal, professional and business skill modules Developed with key partners from Employers and E-Skills NTO (now E-Skills UK) Attracted over 200 applications with 11 graduates starting in October 2001 Funded by NWDA

13. Largest Development site in Europe - 558 acres Omega located in North West Warrington bisected by M62 12,000 New Jobs created over next 20 years Looking to attract IT Data Sciences and Telecommunications companies Key partnership of NWDA, English Partnerships, Warrington Borough Council, Miller Developments and Royal Bank of Scotland

14. Key Partners in Cheshire and Warrington, including :- LSC, Business Link, Connexions, NWDA, Liverpool University Consortium of Colleges, Warrington Borough Council Economic Development Unit Job Centre Plus and others Skills Challenge Group created to :- Identify future skills requirements for the site, define training requirements and locate training provision

15. In order to contribute to the development of :- A region where ICT delivers real benefit for individuals, communities and businesses NWDA/NWRA ICT Strategy for the Northwest Cheshire and Warrington Learning and Skills Council is working with a range of partners, to support innovative solutions of an excellent standard to meet the needs of individual learners and businesses in the locality.

16. Thank you