Businesses sign skills pledge

9:56pm Friday 7th March 2008

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Lancashire businesses showed their commitment to the future of their staff by signing the National Skills Pledge at Runhsaw College in Leyland on Tuesday.

As the first partnership signing of the pledge in the North West, it is a step forward in the government's aim of tackling adult literacy and numeracy issues in the UK.

The signing shows a voluntary, public commitment by a company or organisation to support all of its employees in developing their basic skills in English and maths, and work towards a qualification to at least Level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSEs grade A* to C).

It aims to ensure all staff at the college, which also operates Runshaw Adult College, Euxton Lane, Chorley, have a relevant and valuable qualification they can use throughout their working life and are able to make a full contribution to the success of the company/organisation.

The partnership signing ceremony was followed by leaders signing on behalf of their businesses and organisations.

They were Mark Wilkinson, chief executive Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust; Lorraine Charlesworth, HR director Chorley Council; Irene Curtis, chief superintendent Lancashire Constabulary (southern division); Mike Sheehan, principal, Runshaw College; councillor Margaret Rose Smith South Ribble Borough Council.

Chief superintendent Curtis spoke of what signing the skills pledge means to her organisation.

She said: "I feel that the Skills Pledge is an important partnership between the constabulary and our employees, and also with all of the other organisations here today, to show that we are committed to improving the skills of all our staff."

Ian Haworth, area director for the Lancashire and Skills Council, said: "This has been a fantastic event and I am delighted that these leading Lancashire organisations have all come together today as partners to show their commitment to the development of all their staff."

Mayor of South Ribble, Kath Beattie, and assistant mayor of Chorley, Terry Brown, also attended the event in support of the National Skills Pledge.

The Skills Pledge is a corporate commitment covering a whole company or organisation.

For those employees who do not already have a full Level 2 qualification, the Government will provide funding to help them gain basic literacy and numeracy skills as well as their first full Level 2 qualification.

The Skills Pledge is open to all employers of all sizes in the private, public and voluntary sectors.

To find out more click the link below.