The Sector Skills Council for IT and telecoms, e-skills, is seeking input from employers educationalists and others interested in IT skills to try and address the skills shortage in the sector.

A five-year strategic plan has been instigated to focus on five key sectors that include sector attractiveness, education, workforce development, business leaders and IT user skills.

Explaining the consultation, Karen Price, chief executive officer of e-skills UK, said: "Our job is to unite employers, educators and government to ensure the UK has the technology-related skills it needs to compete in the global economy. Effective partnerships are central to achieving this, and we value input from everyone with insight and views on the subject."

In another recent survey, the IT Governance Institute warned that a lack of IT skills was a global cause of concern.

The news comes as Lord Leitch, who produced an influential review of employment sector skills in 2006, praised the IT services sector's willingness to work with the government and universities to improve sector skills.