Employers slow to grab initiative over skills gap

10 January 2006
Employers slow to grab initiative over skills gap

Hospitality companies are failing to tackle the skills crisis despite recognising the threat it poses to their future prosperity, according to a new report.

A poll of more than 200 senior managers found three quarters (75%) believed their business would suffer during 2006 because of a lack of skilled staff to fill vacancies.

And 80% feared a lack of skills training would hinder the performance of their existing workforce.

The Department for Education and Skills, which commissioned the report to highlight Foundation Degrees, said it was worrying that a quarter of employers still had no vocational training in place despite acknowledging the challenges faced.

Although the majority of those questioned in the poll (90%) back vocational training schemes, minister for lifelong learning Bill Rammell said few were actually getting involved and shaping future programmes.

He said: "I am pleased to see employers continue to back vocational qualifications. I want more UK business leaders to come on board and commit to the design and delivery of Foundation Degrees."

Foundation Degrees were launched in 2001 to meet the specific needs of the employer through a partnership approach.

Adopters from hospitality include Radisson Edwardian and Compass-owned Baxter and Platts.

Get your copy of Caterer and Hotelkeeper every week - click here to subscribe and save 25%.

Sudoku Join the craze and play Sudoku online!
The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking