E-Skills UK has joined forces with BT to apply to set up a National Skills Academy for the IT and telecoms industry.

The sector skills council made the announcement at an apprenticeships conference hosted yesterday (Monday) with BT and the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network.

The academy will aim to be a world leader in technology skills, by improving employers access to courses and development plans, boosting recognition of skills and accelerating the productivity of new recruits.

“There is great potential for the IT and telecoms sector to attract more apprentices," said David Lammy, MP at the event.

"We recently set the challenging, but achievable, target of one in five young people starting an apprenticeship, with a similarly ambitious increase in the number of adult apprenticeships. The work being done by e-Skills UK and BT will be instrumental in improving productivity and extending opportunity.”

Karen Price, chief executive of e-Skills UK said: “The academy offers a unique opportunity for employers to take collective responsibility for the skills and accreditation of the IT workforce. E-Skills UK is delighted to be working with BT and other employers across the sector to take this opportunity forward.”

In June, the Learning and Skills Council invited employers to work with the government to develop National Skills Academies that would tackle sector-specific skills and revolutionise skills training.