Mandelson announces new skills plans

Mandelson said skilled technicians are vital to the UK's future prosperity

Business secretary Lord Peter Mandelson has announced new plans to raise the level of technical skills in the country, so that the economy can take full advantage of modern technologies.

Skills for Growth is a new strategy which seeks to create a new class of technicians, and will see every adult in the country being given a "personal skills account" to help them manage and boost their skills as they shop around for training and employment.

Lord Mandelson said, "Higher level skills have never been more important to our growth. The strategy marks a radical shift in our skills priorities. It shows how we make sure we've got the skills to power the new industries and jobs of the future.

"We need engineers to lay the cables to expand access to high-speed internet, skilled people to build the electric vehicles of the future, and technicians to develop the medicines that will save lives. The goal of this strategy is a skills system defined not simply by targets based on achieved qualifications, but by ‘real world’ outcomes. Relevant, quality skills, with real market value.”

The government will increase the number of apprentice places currently available, creating 35,000 new places for 19-30 year olds, over the next two years. It will also work with businesses to build up a fund of £100m to support some 160,000 new training places in key areas such as communications, green technology, digital media and engineering.

In addition, the government has announced 1,000 new scholarships worth £1,000 to help promising students further their education.