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New workplace qualification
02/06/2009
Four employees from various parts of Scotland were congratulated by Skills Minister Keith Brown today for becoming the first people to complete a brand new qualification to promote workplace literacy and numeracy.
The new professional development award, Developing Literacies Learning Programmes for the Workplace, aims to equip adult literacy and numeracy workers in colleges, local authorities and voluntary organisations with the skills to engage with local employers, raise managers' awareness of the importance of literacy and numeracy in work tasks, and to plan and deliver programmes of learning that will benefit both employers and employees.
The new award was funded by the Scottish Government and developed in partnership with the Scottish Qualifications Authority. The first four individuals in Scotland to achieve this new qualification, Jayne Gray, Jim Maguire, Lorna McNeil and Nicki Brown, attended an award ceremony at the Parliament today.
Minister for Schools and Skills Keith Brown said:
"Widening participation in learning is at the heart of this Government's commitment to reduce poverty and create a fairer Scotland.
"Literacy and numeracy skills underpin many of the tasks we need to carry out in our workplaces, whether it's about completing forms and reports, understanding health and safety notices, or calculating accounts.
"Many employers in Scotland work with learning providers to offer skills development opportunities to their employees. However, many more employers do not recognise the importance of supporting their workers to develop these skills and the benefits it can bring to their business.
"That is why this new qualification is so important. We all must do everything that we can to promote learning in the workplace. I am delighted to have the opportunity to congratulate these individuals in person on being the first in Scotland to achieve this important award.
"Giving people an opportunity to move forward with their lives through developing literacy and numeracy skills will improve the life chances of Scotland's citizens which in turn will contribute to increased sustainable economic growth and recovery from the current downturn."