£5 million investment package to expand training in key areas in London

Investment to improve training and skills in four key areas related to the London 2012 Olympic Games was announced yesterday.

Skills Minister David Lammy MP said that an additional £5 million will be spent across London this year to expand training in sport, construction, customer services and the audio visual industry.

The LSC funding will be concentrated in the five host boroughs where the Games will be held to ensure that local people benefit from the legacy of the Games.

David Lammy said: “London 2012 is a once in a lifetime opportunity for individuals, employers and all of us. Working with the mayor, we are determined to assist employers in meeting their skills needs to build and deliver the Games and their legacy. As Skills Minister I want to ensure that we use the Games to motivate people into work or training and help them compete for London 2012 opportunities and good jobs beyond 2012.”

In construction, training will be offered to people on incapacity benefit to enable them to become A1 assessors. In addition, an apprenticeship preparation programme will enable one hundred 16-18 year olds to progress into employment with Carillion at Kings Cross.

The investment will create 438 new apprenticeships across London including sport coaching at Levels 2 and 3 and 50 new Advanced Apprenticeships in Sporting Excellence (Level 3) in swimming and tennis to prepare elite athletes for the competition

Elsewhere the money will be used to create work-based learning placements in the audio-visual and communications industry and improve training and skills in customer service and hospitality.

“Our aim is to use London 2012 as an opportunity to raise skills levels and aspirations across London,” said David Hughes, London Regional Director for the LSC. “We also want to work with local communities to ensure that people who are out of work or at a disadvantage can gain new skills as a result of the increased investment the London 2012 Games can bring.”

A further £1 million will be invested by the LSC in conjunction with the London Development Agency in the Pre-Volunteer Programme to engage those furthest from the labour market in volunteering, equipping them with skills that will help them move closer to work.

Howard Shiplee, The Olympic Delivery Authorities Director of Construction said: “We want to leave a legacy, not just in bricks and mortar but people who have been trained and given new skills. Our task now is to lever across that which has been talked about into the private sector and jobs.”

Rosie Spowart

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