Helping employers to drive up profits through skills
10th Feb 2010
Food chief named chair of regional skills alliance
Jack Matthews, chief executive of the York-based food and drink sector skills council, Improve, has been appointed chair of the Yorkshire and Humber branch of the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils.
The Alliance represents all of the industry-linked sector skills councils in the region, acting as the voice of employers and working to ensure the needs of the Yorkshire and Humberside business community are met in national skills and training policy.
Mr Matthews said: “The strength and vitality of industry and commerce in this region is vital to the well-being of the UK economy, and that strength depends in large part on the talents and abilities of its people. There is much debate over the details of delivering a world-class skills programme, but in my view the crucial thing is that employers should be able to determine their own solutions based on their own specific needs.
“Sector skills councils are unique in the world in the way they draw employers together, sector-by-sector and region-by-region, to work towards a demand-led system of skills and training. I look forward to doing my part to ensure we can continue to have a positive impact on the economy in Yorkshire and Humberside.”
Sector skills councils were established by the government in 2004 to take the lead in driving up skills in the workplace in order to promote higher productivity and stronger competitiveness for UK businesses in the global market. They work closely with employers to promote greater commitment to improving skills in their workforces, and to ensure vocational and occupational training meet the needs of employers.
For further information, go to www.improve-skills.co.uk, or www.sscalliance.org
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Issued on behalf of Improve, the food and drink sector skills council, www.improveltd.co.uk, by Nexnet PR, Leeds, www.nexnet.co.uk. For further information call Nexnet on 0113 247 0029 or email paul.newham@nexnet.co.uk or joanne.mead@nexnet.co.uk.
