Skills Pledge employers celebrated

One hundred and forty Lancashire employers who have signed up to the Skills Pledge have been recognised at a special ceremony.

The organisations, which include The Wellbeing Farm, Balfour Beatty, Velocity Composites, Conlon Construction and West Lancashire Borough Council, have each committed to initiatives which upskill and inspire both current and future generations of the county's workforce.

These include volunteering for an hour in local schools, becoming an apprenticeship ambassador, and funding bespoke training for existing staff.

The employers were thanked at the event for officially signing up to the Lancashire Skills Pledge, an initiative run by Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s Skills and Employment Hub that offers seven skills and training initiatives to local organisations. 

Gabriela Hammond, head of HR at VEKA plc, said: "We got involved in the Lancashire Skills Pledge because we already worked on many of the activities it runs and it really helps give a tangible focus and value to the work we are doing.

"It's all about skills, really investing in what we are now, what we want to be in the future and giving skills to people in the community."

Debbie Francis, chair of Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, said: "It is vital now more than ever that we focus on equipping our current and future workforces with the skills they need to succeed and help transform the county's economy.

"I want to celebrate and thank all of the Skills Pledge members for the important work they are doing to support the county's workforce. These employers deserve recognition for the valuable opportunities and inspiration they are providing to local people.

"The Skills Pledge has great potential to promote economic growth and job creation, and it is fantastic to see how much it has grown in recent years since its launch. I strongly encourage more employers to consider making a pledge and to get in touch to find out how they can also benefit from signing up."

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