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Wednesday, 23, Apr 2008 12:00

Minister calls on more employers to get on board the drive for new skills.

Skills Minister David Lammy MP will urge more passenger transport businesses to invest in skills development to equip them for the economic challenges of the next decade.

Mr Lammy will make the keynote speech this Thursday April 24 at the 20/20 Vision for Passenger Transport Skills Conference which has been organised by GoSkills, the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Passenger Transport, at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Rosebery Avenue, London.

Speaking ahead of the conference Mr Lammy said: “Passenger transport plays a vital role in our economy, enabling people to get to work, access essential services and visit leisure and tourist sites. To meet public expectations the sector needs competent staff, and must provide relevant and recognised qualifications and consistent, sustainable career options. This can only be achieved through high quality training, at all levels.

“The Government is committed to raising skills levels across the sector and, through initiatives like Train to Gain, we are helping thousands of people gain qualifications, many for the first time. However, we cannot achieve our ambitions unless employers get on board, making full use of the programmes we have put in place and working with bodies like GoSkills to identify and meet skills needs.”

The Government ‘s recent reforms, endorsed by the Leitch Report on Skills, will give employers, working with Sector Skills Councils, the ability to determine the content of qualifications to ensure that these meet industry skills needs. The conference will examine the changes affecting the Passenger Transport Sector and explore the enhanced role of the SSCs, the impact of Train to Gain and the Skills Pledge1.

GoSkills’ Chief Executive, Peter Huntington, said: “GoSkills has organised this conference to help the sector plan for the future and showcase our new strategy and what employers and operators are already doing in partnership with GoSkills to raise skills. We believe there are significant challenges ahead from increasing the overall level of basic skills, to improving management and leadership and promoting positive career paths. New qualifications at all levels offer opportunities for the sector to sell itself to recruits. The industries in our sector have a lot to offer new people but a lot to lose if they do not grasp the skills nettle.”

Photo opportunity:

At 1pm Skills Minister David Lammy will join employers who have signed the Skills Pledge on a special Arriva London Skills Pledge Bus.

Ends

Press enquiries please contact:

Richard Tibenham – Communications Manager - 0121 635 5530, email: richard.tibenham@goskills.org

or Fraser Tennant – Communications Executive – 0121 635 5531, email: fraser.tennant@goskills.org

For further information visit www.goskills.org

Notes to Editors:

1. The Skills Pledge is a voluntary agreement aimed at raising the overall level of skills in the UK, across all sectors. It is a Government initiative but relies on support from employers in the public, private and voluntary sectors. The initial focus is to be on literacy and numeracy and on raising the number of people reaching a Level 2 qualification relevant to the employers business. Advice and funding will be given through the Train to Gain service which is administered by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and is available in England.