13.03.13
People 1st calls for transport industry partnership
An industry-wide bid from employers across passenger transport and the travel industry could maximise the opportunity to gain a share of the Government’s Employer Ownership Fund, People 1st has suggested.
The fund will help improve skills in the workplace and sectors are being invited to create ‘Industrial Partnerships’ to take long-term responsibility for skills development. This could support progress towards qualifications, training programmes, accreditation, innovative information and careers web portal.
Martin-Christian Kent, product development director at People 1st, said: “If we are unsuccessful in establishing an Industrial Partnership, we believe it will be harder for individual employers to access Government funding.
“The Government does not recognise our sector as critical to growth, compared with aerospace or advanced manufacturing, but the credibility of passenger transport and travel, linked to the wider visitor economy, to not only buck the economic trend, but support the UK out of recession, is significant.
“The money is there and we have the expertise and credibility to present a compelling pitch, but we need support from as many employers as possible to unlock this vital funding for skills development. People 1st has the expertise of qualification development, knowledge of skills funding and programme delivery needed to co-ordinate the bid, but employer support is the critical piece of the jigsaw to achieve the highest chance of success.”
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