Training is Key to Overcoming Skills Shortage
and Sustaining Economic Recovery
WorldTalk
Martin Dunford OBE, Chief Executive of Skills Training UK, in his role as Chairman of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), has launched AELP’s updated pre-election manifesto for employment and skill.
The manifesto sets out a number of recommendations that would support employers and individuals to get the skills they need to enter work and to progress in their careers, including measures to help safe guard opportunities for young people through effective Traineeship and Apprenticeship delivery.
To help employers struggling with skills shortages, AELP is also calling for the government to carry on backing the upskilling of adults already in work through the Apprenticeship programme.
The AELP manifesto adds that adults must have access to better information about the labour market and the training options which respond directly to local skills needs.
Martin Dunford, OBE, Chief Executive, Skills Training UK, said: “The emphasis of the updated manifesto mirrors the feedback we’re hearing from employers. The focus now, more than ever, is on the skills gap and how best to overcome it – employers need to invest and think ahead about how they wish to expand and the skillset they will need to support that growth.”
“It’s not all about recruiting new talent; investing in existing employee teams to increase competitiveness and provide a pipeline of talent within the workforce are equally important.”
Blackboard Acquires ParentLink Uniting Two Of The Leading Providers of K-12 Communications
Blackboard Inc. has acquired ParentLink, uniting two of the leading providers of K-12 communications.
The combination will create a powerful approach to K-12 community engagement intended to increase parent involvement and improve student success.
Having served the K-12 market for over 20 years, ParentLink currently supports more than eight thousand schools across the country. With some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry, the company’s communication tools serve as a primary delivery method for various district information systems and are designed to increase community engagement.
Today’s announcement marks the latest investment by Blackboard to increase its K-12 focus and continued delivery of solutions designed specifically for the industry.
This includes the release of new solutions for blended and flipped classrooms, as well as enhanced distance learning tools for teacher professional development. As a result of these activities and investments, Blackboard’s learning and communication solutions are now being used by more than half of the school districts in the country.
“We couldn’t be more excited to join the Blackboard family and partner with a company that shares our mission of improving K-12 education through better communications,” said John Graff, CEO and founder of ParentLink.
“By leveraging the full strength of Blackboard’s solutions portfolio alongside ParentLink’s customer-centric tools, we will propel how schools are engaging with parents, students and teachers, and help create a more informed and involved community.”
12 | TRAINING MAGAZINE MIDDLE EAST NOV 2014