John Denham calls for more to follow suit.

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John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills today announced that eight major employers have made a commitment to training by making the Skills Pledge.

In making the Skills Pledge, the companies have committed to supporting all their employees to work towards a relevant, valuable qualification to at least Level 2 (the equivalent of five GCSEs at A – C grade), including basic skills such as numeracy and literacy

The latest employers to sign up are Remploy Ltd; Delphi Diesel Systems Ltd & Delphi Lockheed Automotive Ltd; Kwik-Fit (GB) Ltd; TUI Travel Plc; Fujitsu Services; Shell International Ltd; BP; Scottish & Southern Energy.

According to new research from the Learning and Skills Council’s National Employer Service almost 90 per cent of the 201 companies polled said that training had already resulted in demonstrable benefits ranging from increased productivity to better employee commitment and involvement in the organisation and improved employee morale. Since the Skills Pledge was launched in June last year 852 organisations have made the Skills Pledge, demonstrating a public commitment to their employees.

John Denham urged more companies to reap the benefits of training and to show this commitment by making the Skills Pledge: “I”m extremely pleased to be able to announce that these industry leaders have made the Skills Pledge today, and I urge all other employers to follow suit. By substantially increasing investment in services such as Train to Gain, the Government has ensured that every company can now benefit from individually tailored skills assessment and training, delivered when and where they need it. We have also cut bureaucracy to make sure that colleges and training organisations can best meet employers needs, and I am committed to extending formal accreditation to employers in-house training programmes.”

“Having visited companies across the country, I know that high-quality training makes a real difference – to the commitment and creativity of staff, to increased productivity and ultimately to the bottom line.”

Adrian Ringrose, Chief Executive, Interserve Plc, explained their decision to sign up the Pledge: “We view making the Skills Pledge as an integral part of showing our employees that we”re committed to their development. We know that our business success is dependent on having well trained and skilled people handling the work. Training is important and its impact is widespread – it improves the ability, confidence and retention of our staff and ultimately brings about long-term business benefits, including increased productivity.”