Department of Trade & Industry
WHAT WE DO
The Department's prime responsibilities are related to the generation of wealth throughout the commercial sectors of the economy and the creation of a greater number and wider range of employment opportunities for the workforce.
This is reflected in the Department's ultimate purpose, which is to promote and encourage the creation of:
"a successful diversified economy offering employment opportunities for all"
This is a clear declaration of intent that aims to be both inspirational and credible. It seeks to provide clarity of purpose and to engender a shared sense of direction against which the overall performance of the Department can be assessed.
| Department of Trade and Industry | |
|---|---|
| Address: | Hamilton House Peel Road Douglas Isle of Man IM1 5EP |
| Telephone: | + 44 (0) 1624 682354 |
| Fax: | + 44 (0) 1624 682355 |
| Email Address: | dti@gov.im |
Overall Aims
- To promote diversification and the further development of the economy by encouraging new high added-value and sustainable businesses to become established on the Island;
- To support the continuing prosperity of existing commercially viable enterprises;
- To broaden the range and quality of employment opportunities and to provide a workforce with appropriate skills recognising the needs of the economy and individual aspirations;
- To support economic development by ensuring an efficient, sustainable and economic supply of energy;
- To manage the resources of the Department effectively
The Department's functions are carried out primarily through three operating Groups, namely the Economic Development Group, the Marine Administration and the Training and Employment Group; their work collectively supports the Department's aims as stated above and, thus, those of Government.
Economic Development Group
The primary function of the Economic Development Group is to encourage the growth and diversification of the economy through the development of existing businesses and the pursuit of new opportunities.
The Group manages a range of assistance schemes and initiatives to encourage new businesses to start up on the Island and existing ones to invest in new technologies and working practices in order to be more efficient and competitive.
Marine Administration
The operational responsibilities of the Marine Administration can be separated into two core areas. The first is a key part of the Department's overall purpose and requires the Administration to encourage shipping related business into the Isle of Man. It does this by promoting the Isle of Man and its own services to maintain and, if possible, expand both the Isle of Man registered fleet and with it the Island's overall shipping business. The second is the Administration's duty to ensure the safety of everyone serving in, or travelling on, an Isle of Man registered ship while, at the same time, preventing pollution of the marine environment. This is achieved by enforcing the laws, both national and international, which govern the construction, equipment and operation of ships.
Training and Employment Group
The work of the Training and Employment Group falls into three broad categories. These are concerned with employment services, training services and employment legislation. In addition to these, the Group also operates and provides advice on the Department's remit in relation to the construction industry.
The Group is committed to the development of people's skills through the management of a vocational training strategy, and the continuation of financial assistance to encourage learning and development. The local economy demands a workforce of sufficient number and with the necessary skills to keep pace with changes in markets, processes, technology and demand and it is crucial that people on the Island have the right skills to enable them to contribute to the competitiveness of the economy.
The availability of a skilled workforce sufficient in number to support changing local needs is central to the success of the economy and, to this end, the Group is actively advancing its understanding of workforce planning issues. The Job Centre is central to the Group's work in helping individuals to identify suitable employment opportunities.
A learning culture, which is about encouraging people to acquire, update and upgrade their skills and knowledge on an ongoing basis, continues to be developed by the Group as a means of enhancing the skills base in the workforce.
The ongoing development administration of a sound framework of employment legislation, which meets our international obligations and recognises the needs of local employers and employees alike, is an important element in the work of the Group.
The administration of the Work Permit system and the Overseas Labour Scheme is an ongoing responsibility which underpins the operation of the local labour market and provides a degree of protection for local workers while seeking to allow sufficient flexibility in the recruitment of individuals with skills that are not currently available locally.
WHO WE ARE
The primary functions of the Department are set out in the Industry Board Act, 1981 and various Merchant Shipping Acts. In addition, the Department is granted authority to act by a wide range of primary and secondary legislation, Tynwald approved schemes and policy documentation.
The political head of the Department is the Minister for Trade and Industry who is supported by one or more members, who are Members of Tynwald and are appointed by the Governor in Council. Under Section 3 (2) of the Government Departments Act, 1987, the Minister can delegate any of the functions of the Department to a member, or to any other person. The Department operates using funds voted on an annual basis by Tynwald.
The Department is led by a Chief Executive who is accountable to the Minister for the operational and financial management of the Department.
The Chief Executive's Office operates in the manner of a 'holding company' and the operating arms are the Economic Development Group, Marine Administration and the Training & Employment Group. These Groups operate with a degree of autonomy within the framework set out as above and can identify with the strategic objectives set out below. The Chief Executive's Office ensures that there is a coherence in the development of strategic and operational objectives and an holistic approach to the delivery of programmes and services.
The Department currently has over eighty members of staff working in a wide range of functions, the majority of whom are employed full time but a number work on a part-time basis. There is a wide range of professions and expertise represented within the Department's staff including, for example, engineering, construction crafts, marine surveying, naval architecture, accountancy and finance, HR and personnel, information and office technology, management and administration.
