BPIF corporate marketing officer Ruth Yarnit said the funding would be used to provide initial assessment of youngsters coming into the industry at "pre-apprenticeship stage".

"The funding will enable us to see if those coming in need help in either literacy or numeracy to ensure everyone starts on a level playing field," said Yarnit.

GPMS national coordinator Jim Telford said Skills for Life was a win-win initiative.
"This will benefit both employers, who will get a higher calibre of staff, and the employees themselves, our members," he said.

The funding was awarded following a joint application by the BPIF and Amicus GPMS in July last year.

Skills for Life is a Government strategy aimed at raising the skills standards of all adults in the UK up to skills level two by 2010.

Yarnit said the project will be delivered via local resource centres, with the BPIF looking to open some 16 such centres throughout England over the next couple of years.

Some of these are already open, and some will be provided within BPIF local business centres and companies that have existing training facility capabilities.

Story by Andy Scott