The provision of economically valuable skills is one of the greatest challenges facing education providers and industry stakeholders in the science, engineering and technology (SET) sector. If the key Leitch recommendation of world-class skills by 2020 are to be acheived, employers and the skills sector must work closely in partnership to equip the workforce with the Level 3-5 SET skills UK plc needs. The recent budget announcement that science funding will rise to £6.3bn by 2010-11 and the launching of the STEM programme to improve student support and progression, indicates that making Britain the number one location for science and innovation is a key Government priority in maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness. As intermediate skills policy moves into the vital delivery stage, this conference brings together business and education leaders from across the UK to examine the next steps forward to ensure SET employers have the right skills, in the right place, at the right time.