People 1st announce plan for National Skills Academy

People 1st, the sector skills council for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism, is breaking new ground for the hospitality sector with the submission of a business plan for a National Skills Academy.

The outcome of the plan will be announced by government in September, and if

successful, will make hospitality one of the first business sectors to have a dedicated National Skills Academy.

Mike Burton, chairman of the shadow board for the academy and HR director of Compass Group said: "This is an important milestone that has been achieved by a shadow board of leading employers and educationalists, and a great deal of dedication from the team at People 1st. I would like to pay tribute to the team for this awesome piece of work."

The academy will work with government and top providers within the hospitality industry and aims to become an employer-led centre of excellence. It is key in reaching the world class skills delivery targets from the National Skills Strategy, and will also be vital in fulfilling targets set out by the Leitch Implementation Plan, published last month.

Tourism Minister Margaret Hodge commented: "I applaud the work People 1st is

doing to make progress in the sector, particularly with the National Skills

Academy bid and the UK Skills Passport. World Class Skills marks a pivotal

moment in the government's policy. It calls for radical change in our culture, attitudes and behaviour towards skills and training - with the need for shared responsibility between employers, individuals and government."

People 1st will be hosting a series of consultations in the Autumn to allow

employers, who have pledged £16 million in capital investment and £50 million in dedicated time and resources, to understand the next steps for the academy and how they can be involved.