Generic skill needs for the sector include:

• management and leadership skills – developing business strategies, business law, human resource management and development, risk management, global trading background, European policy and funding opportunities, negotiation skills and contract management
• problem solving and creative planning
• supervisory skills
• improving business and business diversification skills
• financial management and IT training in financial planning
• effective job-specific training
• employability skills – problem solving, willingness to learn, flexibility and initiative as well as literacy and numeracy
• customer service in particular managing customer expectation and understanding customers needs
• coaching mentoring and training

The sector is becoming increasingly technical and there is the need for sophisticated
knowledge transfer systems to ensure that employers are up-to-date and can maximize returns by employing the latest techniques and use the latest technology.

Source: Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Key Drivers of Skill Demand 2005

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