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 | | FOOD COMPANIES URGED TO SIGN SKILLS PLEDGE | | | Improve | | 27/11/2007 | | | Skills Minister David Lammy MP has welcomed the decision of Northern Foods’ chief executive Stefan Barden to become one of the first food and drink manufacturing employers to sign the Skills Pledge, publicly committing to raise the skills levels of the company’s 11,000 employees.
The Skills Pledge is a voluntary commitment by the head of a company to support all its employees in developing their basic skills, including literacy and numeracy, and working towards relevant qualifications to at least Level 2, the equivalent of five good GCSE’s. Mr Barden signed the pledge at a skills reception in the presence of David Lammy and Jack Matthews, chief executive of food and drink sector skills council Improve.
Stefan Barden commented: “Northern Foods has already shown its commitment to higher-level skills with the launch of the Northern Foods Foundation, which provides bursaries to university students who choose food science courses. Signing the Skills Pledge is part of a wider programme aimed at raising skills at all levels.”
Bosses at ingredients maker British Bakels, confectioner Elizabeth Shaw, and Foster’s Bakery have also agreed to sign the Skills Pledge. Like Northern Foods, they have worked closely with Improve, to ensure that they will be able to fulfil the obligations of the pledge.
Jack Matthews said: “These companies have made a public commitment to make skills a priority and I would urge more companies to follow their lead. Half of all workers in food and drink manufacturing are not qualified to level two and a quarter lack basic skills in reading, writing and numeracy. This skills deficiency must be redressed. Our forecasts show that although overall employment levels in the sector will fall, the remaining workers will need to be more highly skilled in order to strengthen the sector’s competitive advantage in the global market.”
By signing the Skills Pledge, company bosses can gain access to a skills broker who will work to identify sources of public funding and help to locate the best suppliers of training.
According to Jack Matthews, this makes it the ideal opportunity for more companies to prioritise skills: “There has never been a better time to start thinking about skills,” he continued. “If your workforce isn’t trained to the highest appropriate level, then you will start to lose out to those who are investing in skills.”
The Skills Pledge was introduced by the government in response to the Leitch Review of Skills, which warned that the UK must raise its game on skills at all levels if it is to sustain and improve its position in the global economy. Skills Minister David Lammy said: “In today’s global economy, having a highly skilled workforce is an economic and social necessity, not an optional extra.
“Employers committing to the Skills Pledge and undertaking to train all their staff are showing the commitment to excellence we want to be the norm across the country.”
Any food and drink companies requiring further details about the Skills Pledge should contact Improve. | |
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