We mean it to include all of those who employ staff in an organisation or those who are in self-employment such as freelancers, independent sole traders, individual makers and artists. The list could go on. We do not intend to use it in an exclusive sense, but rather to include all of those who contribute to the Creative and Cultural Industries. We would like all of those who are active and interested in the Creative and Cultural Industries to be involved in the Sector Skills Council.

Every one of the new Sector Skills Councils has to be led by employers and others from the sector. It is a precondition that those working in the sector want to establish a Sector Skills Council to identify and articulate skills needs, and to take concerted action by delivering innovative solutions to meet those needs.

Involvement could take a number of forms:

• Employers can join those industry organisations that are already working in partnership to develop the Expression of Interest. They include the Museums Association, Institute of Field Archaeologists, Theatrical Management Association, and many more. A list of those supporting the SSC is on the partners page.
  
  
• Employers canvsupport the submission of an Expression of Interest by letting us have your views.
  
  
• Once the SSDA has accepted the Expression of Interest, employers will have opportunities to work together to influence the development agencies and skills bodies to support sector initiatives. Once the new organisation is formed employers will become directly involved in all operations in the new organisation.
  
  

Yes. The Sector Skills Council will be a new organisation and will not be based on any existing sector training body. In terms of timing, a new organisation will be established after the acceptance of an Expression of Interest by the SSDA and before the submission of a firm proposal for a Sector Skills Council.

Ideas have been tested/piloted with a limited range of people so that a sound and strong case could be made to the SSDA. It was not deemed worthwhile to repeatedly test "draft ideas" without the whole hearted support of other key potential partners. The prospectus is supported by a number of key partner organisations.

Click here for the list of our supporters and partners.

Yes it is a UK-wide initiative and it is important that the Sector Skills Council takes full account of the devolved nature of government in the UK at every stage. Meetings have taken place with colleagues in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and involvement is steadily increasing.

The Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) is committed to contributing to the funding of the Sector Skills Council, but expects those in the sector to play their part too. In addition to the SSDA, all those involved in the sector will be invited to help fund the Sector Skills Council initiative:

• Government Departments across the UK will be invited to channel funds for skills issues through the Creative and Cultural Industries Sector Skills Council and support the sector's skills efforts.
  
  
• Key sector organisations and agencies across the UK supported or sponsored by Government Departments (e.g. Resource, Arts Council England, English Heritage and others) will be invited to channel funds currently used to support training and workforce development initiatives directly through the SSC.
  
  
• "SSCs will be expected to lever in substantial employer investment to supplement public funding." There will be many opportunities for the SSC to acquire funds for the sector and over the longer term a significant amount of the operating revenue will come from involvement in skills and training initiatives.
  
  
• Sector organisations will be invited to support the SSC directly. There is a range of ways in which this support could be realised.

The SSDA's key criteria are:

• An employment base that is of economic or strategic significance.
  
  
• The direct backing of key employers and employment interests, including small firms, in the sector.
  
  
• Influential employer leadership through Board level representation from across the sector and throughout the UK.
  
  
• Significant financial contributions from the sector to secure the sector's priorities.
  
  
• Professional staff and expertise to command the respect and wider involvement of employers.
  
  
• Credibility and capability to influence and co-ordinate action to meet sector skills priorities.
  
  
• Capacity to operate effectively throughout the UK taking account of the responsibilities of the devolved administrations, Regional Development Agencies in England and other publicly funded bodies in their sector.
  
  

From the outset it was clear that, in most cases, the industry groups represented by the former "NTO sectors" would not meet the Sector Skills Council licensing criteria and as a consequence industries across the UK have been reviewing partnership options. The process of talking to potential partners about their aspirations has been time-consuming and in most cases has not resulted in agreement to pursue a Sector Skills Council bid. However, it is now felt that this particular proposition (a Creative and Cultural Industries Sector Skills Council) is based on a number of industries that are already working together effectively and is worthy of serious consideration by employers and others in the sector.

The Sector Skills Development Agency has not yet issued any full Sector Skills Council licences. However, five Trailblazer SSCs have been issued with 2-year licences. Therefore it is in the interests of all those willing to be involved in the Creative and Cultural SSC to move forward with an Expression of Interest as quickly as possible.

The Trailblazer SSCs are:

• Skillset: The SSC for the Audio Visual industries
  
  
• Cogent: The SSC for the Oil and Gas Extraction, Chemicals Manufacturing and Petroleum industries
  
  
• Skillfast: The SSC for the Apparel, Footwear and Textiles industry
  
  
• Lantra: The SSC for the Environment and Land-based sector
  
  
• Skillsmart: The SSC for the Retail sector
  
  

A number of Expressions of Interest have been accepted from other sectors moving to SSC development. These sectors are: Eskills UK; Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism; Proskills (process and manufacturing); Technology, Engineering and Science; Construction.

It will be essential for SSCs to liaise closely with each other to ensure that there are no gaps or overlaps in their programmes and to share good practice and expertise. As the Creative & Cultural Industries SSC develops its lifelong learning agenda then links will be made with those in Further and Higher Education.

There are a two key stages:

• Submit an Expression of Interest
  
  
• Develop a Business Plan and bid for SSC licence.
  
  

From discussions with the SSDA and with colleagues in other sectors it is estimated that the process will take until October 2003 to secure a licence.

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are independent, UK wide organisations developed by groups of influential employers in industry or business sectors of economic or strategic significance. SSCs are employer-led and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the sector. SSCs are licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, in consultation with Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to tackle the skills and productivity needs of their sector throughout the UK.

SSCs give responsibility to employers to provide leadership for strategic action to meet their sector's skills and business needs. In return they receive substantial public investment and greater dialogue with government departments across the UK. This will enable sector employers to have a far greater impact on policies affecting skills and productivity, and increased influence with education and training partners.

The Sector Skills Development Agency has been established to underpin the SSC network and promote effective working between sectors. (Sector Skills Development Agency website 2003)

The Development Stage

The development stage will comprise three stages as recommended by the SSDA:

• conducting a market assessment
• preparing and testing the SSC business proposition
• submitting a full business plan (SSC Proposal).

On submission of the full business plan proposal, the SSDA will need evidence that the SSC fulfils all the criteria of the SSC Standard.


Consideration of the full Proposal by SSDA

In order to reach a recommendation to the Secretary of State, the SSDA will consider:

• the written proposal
• evidence of wide employer support
• the assessment drawn up by the SSDA Board Champion for the SSC
• the assessment from the SSC's Business Adviser
• feedback from the devolved administrations and key Government departments
• result of discussion between the SSDA Board and the SSC's Interim Board.

The SSC Standard requires the Creative and Cultural Industries SSC to provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that it has:

• the direct and widespread backing of key employers and employment interests in the sector. This will include an independent assessment of wider employer views about the SSC proposal.
• influential employer leadership at Board level to represent the interest of the whole sector across the UK
• professional staff and expertise to command the respect and wider involvement of employers
• credibility and capability to influence and co-ordinate action to meet the sector's skills priorities including cross-sector skills
• capacity to work effectively throughout the UK, taking account of the responsibilities of the devolved nations and administrations as well as the Regional Development Agencies RDAs in England.

The Sector Skills Development Agency allows us up to six months from acceptance of the Expression of Interest to demonstrate that SSC criteria are met.

Respond to the questions in our Your Views area

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport DCMS defines the creative industries as 'those industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property.' ('Creative Industries Mapping Document 2001', Development for Culture, Media and Sport).

The cultural and creative industries cover those involved in the development of creative ideas and objects, in the research and interpretation of current and historic creativity and culture, and in the presentation and preservation of those objects and ideas. This includes those in design, craft and art, including visual, literary and performing, activities; those involved in researching and preserving the heritage, including social, scientific and natural collections; and those involved in the public facing aspects of the cultural sector.

The cultural and creative industries, therefore, cover organisations such as theatres, orchestras, design studios, galleries, museums, archaeological units, archives, libraries and publishing firms; and includes occupations such as dancers, musicians, weavers, potters, graphic designers, archaeologists, curators, conservators, archivists and editors.

The creative and cultural industries make significant contributions to the following key Government priorities:

• Economy
• Lifelong learning
• Social inclusion
• Neighbourhood renewal

The Government's Manifesto recognises the key contribution that the cultural and creative industries make towards improving the quality of life in the UK creatively, educationally and economically, as the following extracts show:

'Culture and sport should not be seen as peripheral issues - they are vital to our identity and enjoyment as a country.'

'Thirty million people enjoy arts activities each year. The arts are crucial to national life, with a huge importance for the creative and tourist industries.'

'The creative industries are a vital engine of our economy, providing jobs for over one million people.'