Local MP Caroline Dinenage welcomed the news that £50m worth of fully funded training is now available to all businesses, from small start-ups to FTSE100 giants. But the money is only there for a year - so they need to hurry!
Caroline has long worked on boosting skills in the UK; and recently persuaded the BIS Select Committee to launch a landmark inquiry into the country's basic skills gap. She also recently co-founded the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Maths and Numeracy. The new major national campaign, For Business, For Life, is urging employers to make use of EU funding to upskill their employees in the crucial areas of literacy and numeracy.
Welcoming the move, Caroline said, "We have a shocking skills gap in this country, with far too many people left behind without the basics in literacy or numeracy. It's therefore great news that this fund will help those who may lack confidence in these key areas; giving them the tools to unlock their potential. It's also great for employers; who will get a real boost from their employees' news skills."
Alongside Caroline, a group of firms known as the National Consortium of Colleges and Providers (NCCP), are reaching out to business leaders in every sector to tell them about the advantages of their employees receiving training in English and maths. In addition to acquiring more confident and ambitious workers, the vast majority will receive funding for their training; costing them nothing. Basic Skills training is fully funded via the EU's European Social Fund; with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) receiving £800 per learner for the first three learners. For more details visit http://www.ncc.ac.uk/
