The Government is to set up 18 technology institutes across England
in a bid to increase the level of IT skills in the regions.
Paul Donovan and Arlene Martin
Some £25m has been set aside to create the institutes that will
teach 10,000 people each year.
The centres are to be a partnership between universities,
colleges and businesses. The first five will involve companies such
as BAe and Proctor & Gamble in the North East, and
Hewlett-Packard in Bristol. Other centres will be situated in
Warwick, Manchester and Sheffield.
A further £30m is to be distributed to initiatives in the
regions enabling as many people as possible to get access to
affordable broadband services. The Government aims to create the
most competitive broadband services market among the G7 major
economies by 2005 with widespread connections to schools, libraries
and higher education institutions. An online broadband stakeholder
group will be appointed to advise.
The Computer Software and Services Association welcomed the
announcement. Director general John Higgins, said, "Broadband is
pivotal to the development of the knowledge economy. Without its
aggressive deployment throughout the UK, the Government's targets
for e-government, e-business and for creating a fully inclusive
information society will remain nothing more than aspirational
pipedreams."
He added: "We are pleased that the Government recognises this
fact and would welcome the opportunity to work with the Government
on the UK online broadband stakeholder group." A spokesperson from
e-skills NTO, a non-profit organisation working with employers to
increase UK IT competence, said: "We support any initiative that is
going to help develop a world-class ICT workforce in the UK".