The industry’s future looks bright, but let’s hear your ideas

It’s great to see debate in Design Week about the design skills consultation, Keep British Design Alive. Over recent weeks, there’s been a good response to the campaign from designers across the country, who have been giving their opinions and ideas on the future of our industry.

Our own view of that future is far from gloomy. The Cox Report sets out the opportunity we have in the UK, where we are fortunate to have such a strong design industry. Design Council research shows that the sector is contributing £11.6bn a year to GDP and is playing a broad role within the wider global economy.

Some of the ideas proposed by the Design Skills Advisory Panel have touched a nerve. Good. I hope there will be more debate before the publication of the Skills Development Plan in February 2007.

I’m grateful to Paul Priestman and the rest of the panel who are leading this exciting exercise on behalf of the industry. Your readers can have their say at www.keepbritishdesignalive. com. It’s important they do.

David Kester, Chief executive,

Design Council