The Government has set four key objectives for the Sector Skills Councils
- reduce skills gaps and shortages and anticipate future needs in their industry
- improve productivity, business and public services performance through specific strategic actions based on analysis of sectoral priorities
- increase opportunities to develop the productivity of the sector's workforce
- improve learning supply, including the development of apprenticeships, higher education and of national occupational standards

To fulfil this remit, Cogent aims to act as A LEADER for the sector on strategic pan-industry issues
- providing accurate assessment of changing needs
- influencing Government through representation of employers' needs
- providing decision-makers with quality Labour Market Information
- initiating pan-sector actitivites to attract new people into the industry
- adapting Government requirements to business needs

A PARTNER to individual businesses
- providing innovative solutions tailored to specific business problems
- responding to size, technology and geographical differences as they impact on skills issues
- bringing expertise to attract people with the right skills, knowledge and attributes to sustain and develop business

AN ADVISER to individual employees
- providing quality information on vocational learning
- helping develop transferable skills offering a wide range of qualifications and learning frameworks to support the development of occupational competence