Sector skills councils (SSCs) are employer-led organisations that cover specific industries in the United Kingdom. They were introduced by Adult Skills Minister, Rt Hon John Healey MP in 2002, while the architect of the policy was Tom Bewick, an education and skills adviser to the Labour Government, 1997-2002. Their four key goals are: * to support employers in developing and managing apprenticeship standards * to reduce skills gaps and shortages and improve productivity * to boost the skills of their sector workforces * to improve learning supply