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Skills Secretary with CBI leaders urges businesses in the regions to sign the skills pledge

5 September 2007

Secretary of State for Skills John Denham today launched a major push by Ministers and business leaders to encourage employers across the country to make the Skills Pledge.

The Secretary of State is attending a regional meeting of the CBI in Newcastle, kicking off a series of Ministerial meetings with CBI members. All five Ministers from the new Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills will be attending regional meetings of the CBI in the coming weeks, giving them the chance to hear first hand from employers what they want from the skills system.

The Skills Pledge, launched in June this year by the Prime Minister, is a voluntary commitment from an employer to support their employees to improve their skills and gain qualifications. It enables employers to invest in their business by investing in the skills of their employees.

Over 200 employers, covering almost 1.8 million employees, have already made the Skills Pledge. In addition over 500 additional employers have expressed an interest in the Skills Pledge through the Train to Gain website and helpline. Brokers are currently working with these employers to take their commitment forward.

John Denham said today:

I am delighted that my department is working closely with the CBI to gather support for the Skills Pledge and to discuss with employers how we can work with them to raise skills levels across our economy.

We are re-shaping the skills system in England so that it is more responsive to the needs of employers. These regional meetings enable Ministers from my new Department to set out how the system is changing and to hear, first hand, how employers in each region see the skills challenge we face.

Sarah Green, Regional Director, CBI North East said:

We welcome the commitment by John Denham and his ministerial team to work with business on our shared agenda to raise skills. Business is committed to raising employees skills levels, and signing the skills pledge shows that businesses, government and employees can successfully work together

Speaking in the North East region John Denham said that Government and business working together is the only way we can secure the nation's future.

He said:

Our future in which we can compete effectively globally depends is based on our science, innovation, and skills. We need all our citizens to have the opportunity to rise as far as their talents will take them.

That's why I am talking to CBI members in the North East region today, and why every Minister from my new Department will be attending similar meetings across the country in the next few weeks.

The Government's job is to ensure that the skills system delivers what employers need - high quality, responsive training that helps employers to improve their businesses and employees to improve their lives.

We need employers to work with us and invest in the skills of their workforce. Working together in that way, we can improve both the economy and the lives of citizens across the country and in the North East region.

Notes to editors

  1. In the 2006 Pre Budget Report, Gordon Brown accepted the world class skills ambition recommended by Lord Leitch in his final report. That means, by 2020, in England we will aim for:
    • 95 per cent of adults to have the basic skills of functional literacy and numeracy, up from 85 per cent literacy and 79 per cent numeracy in 2005;
    • More than 90 per cent of adults to have gained at least a Level 2 qualification (equivalent to 5 GCSEs at A*-C grade), up from 69 per cent in 2005; with a commitment to achieve 95 per cent as soon as possible;
    • to shift the balance of intermediate skills from level 2 to level 3 (equivalent to 2 A levels), with an additional 1.9 million people achieving level 3 by 2020;
    • to deliver England's share of the UK ambition to have 500,000 people a year in Apprenticeships; and,
    • More than 40 per cent of all adults to have qualifications at level 4 and above, up from 29 per cent in 2005; with a commitment to achieving world-class levels.
  2. Attendance by DIUS Ministers at CBI regional committees are:
    • John Denham - North East Region - 5/9/07
    • David Lammy - East of England - 6/9/07
    • Lord Triesman - North West Region - 13/9/07
    • Ian Pearson and Bill Rammell tbc.
  3. The Secretary of State will deliver a key note speech at the CBI conference on 12 September. He will set out reforms and progress in skills, FE, HE, Science and Innovation and work with the CBI and employers.