Deadline Approaches for CBI Sponsored Employer Training Recognition Award

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The desire for a fully skilled workforce is one that is hardly lacking attention, particularly in recent months.

The FE sector as a whole would appear to be moving towards addressing the skills issue for the workforce, and as such is directly interacting with employers to determine the skills requirements. Whilst this is a positive attitude in theory, in practice the sector is rife with territorial conflicts that cause organisations to claim their superiority of delivery ahead of others, rather than internal excellence. The employers also have their awards ceremony to highlight excellence in training for the workforce; and the deadline for entries to the Human Capital Awards is approaching.

Awards and Categories

The Human Capital Awards are born of the desire on the part of employers, in their guise as the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), to tackle the skills deficit that Britain experiences. With the positive strides being made by competitor nations such as India and China, the recognition accorded through these awards for the work employers do to tackle new and extant skills issues is seen as a valuable weapon for the war on skills gaps.

The categories for the prizes are as follows; “Innovative Ways of Working”, to recognise radical change in practice to respond to competitive demands; “Service”, which focuses on people based schemes that has resulted in a positive change for employees and employers; “Managing Change”, demonstrating a positive result reacting to significant change; “Education, Skills and Leadership”, which recognises successful business focussed skills initiatives; “Global Achievement”, for global thinking in skills and people management; “Growing Business”, for imaginative approaches to people development; “The People’s Champion”, for an outstanding individual; and “The People’s Organisation”, with a similar overall recognition of excellence.

Judging

The submissions must be received by the 8th of September, with the awards announced at the ceremony on the 19th of October 2006. The prestigious panel of judges will include Lord Sandy Leitch, who is chairing the Leitch Skills Review initiated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown MP to establish the skills that will be required by employers and the economy in the year 2020. His review is set to be announced at about the same time, and is eagerly awaited by FE.

Sir Digby Jones, the outgoing Director General of the CBI, said: “The Human Capital Awards are extremely timely and, in the context of the UK’s economic performance, equally important. In today’s increasingly competitive global economy, in which business must develop ever more innovative products and services, the value of a skilled and motivated workforce is more important than ever.”

Jethro Marsh

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