'There are 55 employer organisations within the sector, and they all need to be involved. I think the sector can either be reactive or proactive: I think if we were starting with a blank sheet of paper, we wouldn't be going where we are going now... I think there's a great danger that we react because of the time pressures, and think we'd better be an SSC tomorrow or we'll have missed the boat. We do have too many different organisations. The communication is bad in the sector and it's going to continue to be bad unless there's a single body working for children and young people.'
Phil Denningchief executive, PAULO:
'Partnership needs respect, trust, acknowledgement of difference. You can't go for the instant partnership model. You have to build partnership from the ground up... It's about employers finding they have things in common. We need more exchange of detail to make true partnerships.'
Colin Reeve business advisor, Sector Skills Development Agency: 'The SSC must have a vision of where the sector is going and what the SSC will do for the sector.'
