1. 1 SECTORS - RATIONALE FOR INVOLVING SSCS WITHIN TRAIN TO GAIN SSCs represent industry and regularly engage with employers SSCs understand: –Sectors’ skills needs –The positive impact skills have on business performance All of this is augmented in the Sector Skills Agreement process

2. 2 SKILLS FOR BUSINESS NETWORK Skills for Business Network (SfBN) is the name given to all 25 SSCs operating together with the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) SfBN aims to boost productivity and profitability of the UK Done through identifying and tackling skills gaps and shortages in each sector.

3. 3 KEY GOALS SSCs have 4 key goals: Reduce skills gaps and shortages Improve productivity, business and public service performance Increase opportunities to boost the skills and productivity of everyone in the sector’s workforce Improve learning supply including apprenticeships, higher education and National Occupational Standards

4. 4 WORKING WITH BROKERS SSCs will be able to provide leads to brokers Knowledge of how to access employers in sector SSC may be able to offer additional support to broker beyond the brokerage experience LSC currently working on a referral protocol for SSCs and brokers

5. 5 SSC SUPPORT Three Tier Offer of support for employers and brokers: Tier 1 support will be available from all SSCs and will include information relating to labour market intelligence Tier 2 support will be available free of charge as it will already have been funded from the public purse (these services may not be offered by all SSCs) Tier 3 support will be offered at a cost but may be beneficial to brokers and will vary from SSC to SSC. May include improvement tools and support, training, bespoke helplines

6. 6 SECTOR SKILLS AGREEMENT (SSA) Sector Skills Agreements essentially map out what skills employers need their workforce to have Also establish the process by which these skills can be supplied by key partners Facilitated by SSCs but signed up to by everyone who supplies, funds and plans education and training