Sector skills councils (SSCs) are employer-led organisations that cover specific industries in the United Kingdom.
The SSCs have four key goals: SSCs aim to achieve these goals by developing an understanding of the future skills needs in their industry, and contributing to the development of National Occupational Standards, the design and approval of apprenticeship frameworks and the New Apprenticeship Standards and creating sector qualification strategies.
SSCs are licensed by the government through the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES).
[2] The Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) was formerly responsible for funding, supporting and monitoring SSCs and for overseeing industries that fell outside an SSC footprint.
The Federation for Industry Sector Skills and Standards (FISSS) is responsible for managing the process of certifying apprentices on apprenticeship frameworks in England, Scotland and Wales.