The Chief Executive of the Design Council today welcomed the publication of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's strategy for the creative economy, calling it a "prospectus for success" and pledging to "lift the strategy off the page and into action."
David Kester said: "Design and other leading creative industries are the engine room of a modern economy built on ideas and knowledge. Putting in measures to support education, training, and professional standards is vital for their continued role as a driver for Britain's economic health.
As the UK strategic body for design, the Design Council is already lifting this plan off the page and into action, and we will shortly be launching our Design Blueprint, a roadmap for supporting skills, professional development and education in design."
Creative Britain: New Talents for the New Economy sets out a number key strategies to support and grow the UK design industry, which is the biggest in Europe, with a total turnover of £11.6bn.
The 26-point plan commits to supporting the Design Council's UK Design Skills Alliance to improve professional standards in education and practice; and highlights the benefits of the Council's Designing Demand programme, a business transformation initiative that uses designers to help increase competitiveness in 6,500 firms across the UK by 2010.
David Kester, added: "This couldn't come at a better time for the UK design industry. Design is what links creativity and innovation. British designers such as Jonathan Ive are responsible for some of the world's most iconic products like the i-pod and the i-phone. This plan helps ensure that British talent will stay at the forefront of global design."