EEDA - East of England Development Agency

EEDA welcomes government skills announcement

24 October 2008

EEDA's reponse to today's announcement by government to simplify the skills training offered to businesses.

Alison Lys, head of skills at EEDA, said:

“We welcome today's announcement by the Secretary of State for Skills to create a simpler and more effective skills system.

"During an economic downturn, the skills and abilities of businesses and their workers become even more important in maintaining a competitive edge in the global marketplace.

"At present, many of our businesses continue to suffer from skills shortages at technical and higher levels, especially in some of our major growth sectors. They also often struggle to navigate the route to accessing appropriate skills training.

"The three new agreements to encourage employers' investment and involvement in skills training are therefore very good news for the East of England. These will complement Beyond 2010, our own skills training offer for small to medium-sized businesses.

"We also welcome the proposals by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills to simplify the skills support for businesses. The creation of a talent map, the introduction of a new training and development plan, and developing on-site support at business parks – amongst other proposals – could lead to the simpler and more effective system that businesses and regional development agencies like EEDA have long been calling for.

"The Talent Map complements our own Business Map -  bizmapeast.co.uk - designed to help businesses in the East of England navigate the network of business support."