Government gives green light to sports skills academy

SkillsActive - 07/05/2008

Led by employers in the sport and leisure sector and coordinated by SkillsActive - the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for active leisure and learning - the skills academy will open later this year and will train 85,000 new entrants, existing staff and volunteers every year by 2013.

Minister for Skills, David Lammy said:

“For the UK to perform at its best in 2012, we need to make a sustained investment in coaching skills, giving our athletes the very best support and training to help them win.  However, it’s not just about winning Olympic medals. I want to ensure that every young sportsperson, at every level of competition, is given have the opportunity to reach their full potential. This new skills academy for the sports and leisure industry will ensure world class training throughout the nation.”

Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe said:

"The launch of a National Skills Academy in sport and active leisure is a major step forward for an industry that will go from strength to strength as we approach London 2012. There has never been a better time to get involved in sport, and the NSA will ensure that our sports administrators, coaches and volunteers get the best learning and support possible whether working in community or elite sport."

Stephen Studd, Chief Executive at SkillsActive said:

“This is a very exciting time for our sector and SkillsActive.  By the end of the year, there will be radical changes to the way industry employers access training for their workforce. The skills academy will mark the end of fragmented training - it will be highly personalised and prioritised to address our industry’s most pressing skills issues at levels 1 to 4.”

The National Skills Academy will provide a clear framework for the industry’s training and qualification process by developing a single and coherent approach. It promises to raise standards to a level where the sport and active leisure industry is regarded as a world leader in skills development by the time of the 2012 Olympic Games.

Hundreds of employers in the industry have engaged with SkillsActive to develop the skills academy which has been desperately needed to address the pressing skills needs in the sector. So far, over £6m of capital investment has been raised to open a network of centres of excellence across the country. Phase 1, the sport, fitness and outdoor sub-sectors, launches later this year and phase 2, the playwork and caravan sub-sectors, rolls out in 2009.

Stephen continues: “Back in 2006, Leitch spoke of drastic changes in this country’s approach to education, training and skills, and the National Skills Academy is a fantastic step in that direction. It will be a one stop shop for employers to recruit, train and retain a great team, access funded training and gain advice and information online at any time.”

The skills academy will operate via nine regional hubs in England as well as an innovative website where people can access the academy virtually. The location of three hubs has already been selected based on employer demand and pledged investment. The first will open in London, initially at Crystal Palace in September, before moving into the London 2012 Olympic Stadium immediately after the Games. The other centres will be located at Sheffield United FC and COMET (Centre for Outdoor Management, Education and Training) in Penrith.

London will also act as the national base where the skills academy board will manage the setting up, governance and operation of the skills academy including endorsing all the products and services offered. In addition, the board will ensure consistency of delivery throughout the network and endorse selected national training providers.

The National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure joins the already established skills academies, construction, financial services, manufacturing, nuclear, food and drink manufacturing, and process industries. Each skills academy is intended to improve the standard of industry training, increase productivity and tackle skills shortages across the UK.

For further details on the development of the National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure, visit www.skillsactive.com/academy