The government is to stump up 拢40m to fund four national skills centres to address labour shortages across UK industry, ministers announced this week.

Construction is one of four sectors to be selected out of a shortlist of 23 for a national academy. The others are manufacturing, financial services and food and drink.

The construction centre will involve four training venues and two mobile units co-ordinated from a central headquarters, and will be in operation in time to support the Olympic construction programme.

Ruth Kelly, the secretary of state for Education and Skills announced the move, saying: 鈥淚n the past, government has let down employers when it has tried to second-guess what sectors need. But employers have been guilty of watching initiatives from the sidelines.鈥�

The initiative is backed by leading firms, including Bovis Lend Lease, Kier Homes and Carillion.

Postscript

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