A national skills academy for IT has been given the go-ahead today by skills secretary John Denham.

The National Skills Academy for Information Technology is one of four approved today that will share £30m of funding, a figure the government hopes will be matched by the private sector.

Developing skills for the 21st century is vital to helping Britain progress as a knowledge economy, according to Denham.

"Now, more than ever before, we need to develop innovative training that inspires and empowers a new generation to realise their ambitions," he said.

"Skills academies put employers in the driving seat to shape training for their industries, building the world-beating workforce that will improve productivity and competitiveness across the country."

Led by employers, the academy will deliver training designed for the specific needs of the IT sector to 10,000 people in its first three years of operation.

It will run courses for those aged 14-19, apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships for those over 19, a university-accredited IT Professional Foundation Programme for graduates, as well as training options for career changers.

The four new academies will join an existing network of 12 skills academies. Two more are expected to be approved later this year.

The academies will help align educational and business agendas, according to Chris Banks, chairman of the Learning and Skills Council.

"This unique collaboration between government and industry is key to making high quality skills available to employers and creating opportunities for their employees," he said.