The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has signed the government's skills pledge.
The director general of the BCC, David Frost, agreed to sign the pledge after receiving reassurance that it is a commitment from the government to assist in helping employers provide the correct skills for their employees.
The pledge that David Frost signed committed the British Chambers of Commerce to:
Actively encourage and support our employees to gain the skills and qualifications that will support their future employability and meet the needs of our business; this will include as a minimum actively encouraging and supporting our people who do not already have them to acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills, and with government support work towards their first level two qualification.
Demonstrably raise our employees' skills and competencies to improve our company performance through investing in economically valuable training and development.
Promote the Skills Pledge to chamber members across the country including through a series of Regional Roadshows.
David Frost commented: "We have been reassured that the government is committed to working with employers to ensure that employees have the necessary skill sets to make a full contribution to the success of their company.I am delighted to have signed the pledge today and will be promoting it to chambers across the UK."
Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills John Denham added:
"The Skills Pledge offers a clear way for employers across the country to show their commitment to training. With over 3.3 million employees nationwide covered by skills pledge, we're making great progress - but we need to do more at a local and regional level and encourage further involvement from SMEs. I'm therefore extremely pleased that British Chambers of Commerce are joining our drive to boost skills levels.
"By expanding the training and skills budget, the government is ensuring every company and organisation can identify and meet their training needs. To ensure all employers engage with the support that is now on offer, the business community must take ownership of the skills agenda."
