New Training Award For Employers

26th April 2009

Employers who recognise that now is time to invest in skills and training, despite the current economic downturn, are to be honoured at this year's National Training Awards.

A new award category - aptly named "Now is the time"- has just been announced. Employers who are developing training programmes to fight back against the recession, and to position their companies, and the country, for future growth are encouraged to apply.

The National Training Awards is a UK-wide scheme managed in Scotland by Skills Development Scotland. The annual awards honour people and organisations who have made an outstanding commitment to skills development and achieved excellence through training.

With the addition of "Now is the time", the number of National Training Award categories in Scotland increases to seven. The other categories are; Large Employer; Medium Employer; Small Employer; Providing Education and Training; Partnership and Collaboration; and Individual.

Minister for Schools and Skills, Keith Brown said:"This Government fully recognises the pressures on people during the current economic climate and fully understands the importance of ensuring people strengthen their existing skills or are supported to obtain new skills, to get into work or back into work and contribute to Scotland's future economic success.

"During these difficult economic times it is important that businesses and organisations continue to invest in their most valuable resources - their people. I know that there will be excellent examples across Scotland of employers who are investing in their staff to ensure that they are in a strong position to make the most of their companies when we start to recover from the recession. I would urge those companies to apply to this new award category so that their work can be formally recognised.

"It is crucial that we equip our workforce with the right skills to reach their potential and so they can play their part in Scotland's future economic success, including helping it recover from the current downturn."

Damien Yeates, chief executive, Skills Development Scotland, said: "Skills and training are more important today than they've ever been before. The current economic situation is proving to be a real challenge for employers throughout Scotland, however we are pleased to see that many have realised that now is exactly the right time to invest in skills and training.


"It is absolutely essential that we continue to develop and maintain a skilled Scottish workforce as we steer our way through this economic downturn and position our country for significant growth in the future. That's why the training programmes developed, and implemented, by many of our employers are so important and deserve to be recognised at this time."

Entries for this new category must be submitted by 26 June 2009. For further information please visit www.nationaltrainingawards.com/nowisthetime

About Skills Development Scotland (SDS):
SDS is the new skills body for Scotland. It was launched on 1 April 2008 by merging four partner organisations with a shared vision to improve Scotland's skills performance. A dynamic, forward-looking organisation, SDS delivers information, guidance and advice for careers and learning as well as extensive support for skills development. Further information on SDS can be found at www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk

The Scottish National Training Awards will be held in October 2009. The category winners will go forward to take part in the national event in London December 2009.

The closing date for applications for the for the six original categories: Large Employer; Medium Employer: Small Employer; Providing Education and Training; Partnership and Collaboration; and Individual, was 24 April 2009

The four organisations which merged to become Skills Development Scotland are Careers Scotland, Scottish University for Industry (learndirect scotland, learndirect scotland for business, ILA Scotland and The Big Plus), key skills elements for Scottish Enterprise and key skills elements from Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is a company limited by guarantee, registered as The Skills Development Scotland Co. Limited

For further information please contact Audrey Simpson, SDS Communications on 0141-285-6207.