The qualitative consultation will include large, medium and small companies - from large oil refineries to micro businesses in the sign-making sector- and ensure a regional spread.

The survey will be conducted via 250 face to face, one-hour long interviews and 700 postal interviews to gather Labour Market Information. It is a critical stage in Cogent’s SSA* process which will culminate in a series of nationwide meetings at which the findings will be reported back to employers and other key stakeholders.

Sector Skills Agreements (SSAs)* are aimed at revolutionising the way education and training is organised and funded in the UK.  The process means that employers in the Cogent footprint will have unprecedented influence over the system and will be able to shape the supply of future education and skills supply so that providers are meeting the real training and development needs of industry.

The final Sector Skills Agreement, which will be signed by all the key stakeholders, will be a working partnership between employers and everyone involved in delivering education and training.

The Cogent questionnaire is a comprehensive survey covering the first three stages of the SSA process:

Stage 1 - assessment of current and future skill needs

Stage 2 - assessment of the effectiveness of current education and training provision

Stage 3 - analysis of the gaps and weaknesses in current education and training provision

The Cogent Research and Policy Team are working with Cogent’s  Employer Engagement Team (EET) to drive the process forward during June and July. The analysis and report writing will take place during September and October and rolled out to employers and stakeholders in government and education in November. Lauren Sadler from  Cogent’s R&P Team said: “Consultation is key to this process and we are delighted that a number of companies have already come forward to express their views.  We must also thank the key trade associations across our footprint for their leadership and input.

“These groups are developing an agenda for change within their sectors and are steering the SSA process on behalf of the employers they represent.”

Sector Skills Agreements are underpinned by rigorous methodology and will result in Labour Market Intelligence that is robust and that will supersede existing data which is in many cases out-of-date, skewed, patchy and lacking in both a UK-wide perspective and a regional focus.  The data will be used to inform policy, funding and delivery.

It will also feed into the Learning and Skills Council Funding cycle in readiness for the LSC’s 2007 budget.

Lauren Sadler added: “ The outcome of this critical, strategic and industry-led process will ensure that the Cogent sectors have the necessary range and level of skills to further boost productivity and compete internationally. It is about developing a skilled and motivated workforce geared up to meet the challenges of the future.”