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Recession 'highlights importance of training'

The economic downturn has highlighted the importance of training and development for staff across the UK, it has been claimed.

Simon Bartley, chief executive of UK Skills, said that for the last 25 years, skills development has been the poor relation of training in the UK, but the recession has meant this often overlooked area has now been brought to the fore.

He commented: "The recession has brought [skills] to a much wider audience, an audience that covers not only individuals - who are interested in skills for their own personal development and getting a job."

According to union Unite, skills shortages could spell disaster for the UK construction sector if the government does not move to promote the increased creation of apprenticeship positions in the coming years.

Les Bayliss, Unite assistant general secretary, noted that while overall apprenticeship numbers across the UK might be growing, in the building industry figures fell sharply over the course of the recession.