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Eighteen regional groups of higher education institutions, further education colleges, and private sector partners, were recently given the go-ahead to become NTIs with the brief to offer high quality training in advanced IT skills both to businesses and students.
The first Institutes will be set up in:
- West Yorkshire, which will provide computing skills - networking, telecommunications, hardware repair and maintenance across West Yorkshire;
- Lancashire and Cumbria, which will focus on the increasing need for information technology in local engineering, aerospace and automotive industries; and
- Ipswich, which will provide training in multi-media, digital arts and accountancy in Suffolk.
Margaret Hodge said: "NTIs offer a new and exciting opportunity for further and higher education and industry to work together to deliver the latest information technology training in an accessible and responsive way for up to 10,000 people by 2005. This is essential for both individuals and business, and critical to the success of local and regional economies. NTIs will work with all the key regional agencies and networks to achieve their aim of helping to close the information technology skills gap."
The Government plan for NTIs is that they will offer high-quality facilities for teaching ICT and advanced technology skills from NVQ level 3 to Foundation Degree, for both full-time students and those in employment and to create pathways to honours degrees; as well as advice and support to SMEs on the effective adoption of new technology and innovative business practices.
Each individual NTI will be expected to train 250 to 500 students per year, and to provide services to 50 SMEs each year.
John Harwood, Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council, said: "We welcome the creation of these new Institutes. They will receive significant improvements in local and regional ICT abilities. Learners will have access to top class provision and SMEs will be able to gain the technical skills to compete on national and international stages.
"Initiatives like this are crucial if we are to improve our competitiveness and create sustained prosperity for all. I look forward to our continuing partnership with HEFCE and the individual NTIs."
NTIs were first announced in the 2001 DfEE/ DTI White Paper on enterprise, skills and innovation: 'Opportunity for all in a world of change' and the Labour Party Manifesto, which stated: "For skill shortages in information technology, we will open two Technology Institutes in every region to meet the rising demand for high-level technical skills."
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Richard Powell, Shout99
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