PM tells CBI: Invest in your workers' talent

Mon 24 Nov 2008

Gordon Brown told the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) its members should invest in their workers' talents.

The prime minister told the CBI's annual conference that companies can survive current difficulties and workers will help them compete better.

A changing employment situation has left the UK needing to start "investing in the new talents and skills required for the technological and creative industries", he noted.

Mr Brown, himself a former chancellor, said emerging economies are now a challenge and the global sourcing of goods and services will bring added competition.

"Quite simply: we are making the transition from the old world of sheltered national economies to the new world of a fully open global economy," he commented.

In moves to be outlined in the Queen's speech, Mr Brown intends to give every worker the right to ask for time off to train.

However, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills has warned employers could turn down a request "where there was a good business reason to do so".

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