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61. Learning and Skills Council

• Head of IT: John Quinn, IT Director
• Industry: Public sector
• Website: www.lsc.gov.uk/

The Learning and Skills Council is a non-departmental public body "that exists to to improve the skills of England's young people and adults to ensure we have a workforce of world-class standard". Created in 2001, the LSC took over the roles of the former Further Education Funding Council and Training and Enterprise Councils.

IT systems are managed by outsourcer Xansa and a core IT activity for the group is to manage the funding process that supports access to computer-based learning at colleges, skills academies, prisons and other facilities.

In late 2008, the LSC said it was ending its contract with another outsourcer, Liberata, with Capita taking over the reins. The LSC uses Microsoft SharePoint as its system for records management, communication and collaboration.

In May 2009, the quango was heavily criticised for failure to deliver on promises to build new colleges by MPs on the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee. Phil Willis, chairman of the committee, said: "The information coming through was that college after college was not just being rebuilt but that we were getting iconic buildings up and down the country. Someone needed to tell the emperor that the clothes weren't there."

In its 2008/9 report, the LSC said it had been busy with projects including following the government's Security Policy Framework and with optimising its Oracle HR system.

The LSC also claimed to have had success with a mobile learning project called Molenet that attracted favourable notice.

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