Organisations helping us Make It Count

AELP

"The Association of Employment and Learning Providers is pleased to support the Make it Count campaign because it is underlining how important obtaining new skills can be to finding a new job. The emphasis on the value of employability skills is also welcome and with the Government now structuring its employment and skills programme priorities to take account of this, we believe that learners have excellent opportunities available to help put their careers back on track."

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) is the leading trade association for vocational learning and employment providers in Britain. The majority of its 600+ members are independent private, not-for-profit and voluntary sector training and employment services organisations. Membership is open to any provider committed to quality provision. Approximately 75% of Apprenticeships in England are delivered by AELP members. Over 70% of the Work Programme prime contractors are AELP members with many other members delivering the programme as sub-contractors.

BIS

"The social and economic importance of practical learning cannot be overestimated. learndirect's campaign will play a valuable role in inspiring people from all walks of life to learn new skills, as well as offering vital guidance to help translate aspiration into action. Building lives by building life chances."

BIS is the government department which brings all of the levers of the economy together in one place. Its policy areas - from skills and higher education to innovation and science to business and trade - can all help to drive growth.

British Retail Consortium

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is the lead trade association representing the whole range of retailers, from the large multiples and department stores through to independents, selling a wide selection of products through centre of town, out of town, rural and virtual stores. The BRC is the authoritative voice of retail, recognised for its powerful campaigning and influence within government and as a provider of excellent retail information.

Centrepoint

Seyi Obakin, Centrepoint Chief Executive, says:

!The homeless young people we support have often missed out on education and training. Through initiatives like our Workwise programme, we work with other organisations to help young people gain the confidence, qualifications and work experience they need to find a job. We are therefore fully behind the Make It Count campaign and encourage people and businesses to get involved and sign up for a brighter future."

Centrepoint is the UK's leading charity for homeless young people. It provides housing and support for over 1,200 16-25 year olds every year, helping them into work and a home of their own. It also gives homeless young people a voice through the Centrepoint Parliament. Centrepoint works directly in London and the north east of England, and collaborates with other organisations across the UK. It conducts research and influences government policy with the overall aim of ending youth homelessness.

IMI

"The IMI supports the learndirect Make it Count campaign, which aims to encourage people to learn new skills and get the qualifications they need to improve their job prospects and their life. As the sector skills council for the retail motor industry, the IMI partners with industry employers to identify the sector’s current and future skill needs. It promotes and facilitates solutions to increase the professional competence and career prospects of over 500,000 employees working in nearly 70,000 businesses in the automotive retail sector. The IMI believes that stimulating economic growth and achieving a highly skilled workforce must be embarked upon using an equal and co-ordinated approach engaging both employers and employees. Together with organisations such as learndirect, we can address these skills shortages, enabling individuals to fulfil their potential and improve their performance."

The IMI is the home for members and professionally registered individuals working in the motor industry. It is the industry’s Government licensed Sector Skills Council (SSC), the governing body of the ATA and AMA schemes, and is the authoritative source of information, standards, qualifications and apprenticeships for the retail motor industry.

National Apprenticeship Service

Simon Waugh, Chief Executive of the National Apprenticeship Service

"We are supporting the Make It Count campaign, because it is a great opportunity to highlight the benefits of Apprenticeships. They can be a great route to beginning your career or open doors to new skills whilst earning and learning. For employers, Apprenticeships provide real, measurable business benefits and 83% of employers tell us they rely on their apprentices to provide the skilled workers they need for the future."

"Make It Count Week will encourage people to learn new skills and work to achieving the qualifications they need to improve their job and life prospects."

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) has end to end responsibility for Apprenticeships in England. Designed to increase the number of Apprenticeship opportunities and provide a dedicated, responsive service for both employers and learners, the NAS is simplifying the process of recruiting an Apprentice through Apprenticeship vacancies, an online web-based matching service.

SEMTA

"Britain’s long term success depends on the competitiveness of our manufacturing base. Industry needs to recruit and train 82,000 engineers, scientists and technologists by 2016 and to upskill 363,000 of the technical workforce to achieve world-class standards. So sector skills council Semta fully supports the Make it Count campaign."

Skillsmart Retail

Jane Rexworthy, Head of the National Skills Academy for Retail

"We are delighted to support Make It Count Week, run by learndirect. Encouraging people to learn new skills, or build on those they already have, is vital for businesses and individuals."

"We know through our programmes just what an extraordinary difference learning can make to people's lives. If you are interested in accessing learndirect training, you can visit one of the 50 retail skills shops based around the country on a high street near you. I urge anyone thinking about improving their skills or learning something new: do it, you won't regret it."

The National Skills Academy for Retail is a wholly owned subsidiary of Skillsmart Retail. Its network of skills shops are located across the UK, offering information and advice on training opportunities to retailers of all sizes, their employees or those seeking to get into the sector, including pre-employment courses, Apprenticeships, management training and bespoke programmes.

Supporting stakeholder quotes for whitepaper

"In today's competitive employment market Totaljobs welcomes any initiatives which provide people with practical hints and tips to help with their jobs search. Increasingly it's becoming more and more apparent that recruiters are looking for more than just a bland template CV. What they really want to see is examples of what that person can bring to an organisation. Anything that helps people to realise and showcase that can therefore only be seen as a good thing."
John Salt, Website Director Totaljobs

"Skillsmart Retail and the National Skills Academy for Retail welcomes the publication of learndirect's white paper. Understanding what skills employers need is essential in a competitive job market. However, it can be hard for those looking for work to really understand what is going to make them stand out and just what employers are looking for, especially if they have been out of work for a long time. Lack of confidence and low self-esteem are big barriers for many.

"Our pre-employment programme, Skillsmart Retail Works, has had great success getting people back into work and onto a career path in retail. This programme ensures recruits have the basic skills they need, including vital interview tips to help present themselves in the best possible way. But it hasn't just been the candidates who have benefited; employers also have a supply of work-ready candidates ready to work in their businesses."
Jane Rexworthy, Director of Skills Solutions and Head of the National Skills Academy for Retail

"Britain's long term success depends on the competitiveness of our manufacturing base. The industry needs to recruit and train 82,000 engineers, scientists and technologists by 2016 and to up-skill 363,000 of the technical workforce to achieve world class standards. So sector skills council Semta fully supports learndirect's campaign to improve skills. Businesses looking to recruit into advanced manufacturing and engineering should contact Semta for information on the Talent Retention Solution."
SEMTA

Total Jobs

John Salt, Website Director

“Even at a time when the competition for jobs has never been more fierce, with more jobseekers than ever chasing each vacancy, there still remains a gap between what employers are looking for in terms of key skills and attributes and what jobseekers themselves perceive employers are looking for. This gap needs to be addressed urgently, without it we will continue to see capable people fail to demonstrate and deliver what employers are looking for. By understanding this gap Make it Count is addressing a fundamental issue that can only help more people successfully fill the vacancies that do exist today and those that will in the future.”

Transport for London

Iain Smith, Head of skills at Transport for London

"Transport for London is delighted to support learndirect's Make It Count campaign and will be encouraging our supply chain to get involved too. We actively encourage our staff and their families to learn new or brush up on their existing skills."

"When we were searching for a skills partner, learndirect was absolutely the right choice - offering flexibility for our staff and their families as they can drop into one of their centres across London or learn online from home. From maths and English to engineering and IT, we are committed to making sure we have the right skills in place to keep London moving."

Unionlearn

Tom Wilson, Director of Unionlearn

"Unionlearn are delighted to be able to support the ‘Make It Count’ campaign. Learning and developing your skills is key to improving individual life chances and getting better job prospects. It also helps businesses succeed and creates a more motivated workforce and overall is vital for helping growth in the economy. This campaign is making an important contribution to that work."

Unionlearn exists to help unions to become learning organisations. It has trained more than 26,000 union learning reps and more than one million working people have been given training and learning opportunities via unionlearn. Many of its learning centres are open to members, their families and the local community.