Training is key to South Hants future

8.00.00am GMT Tue 19th Feb 2008

Training and retraining in new skills throughout our working lives is the key to better jobs and higher pay in South Hampshire, according to Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne.

Speaking at a lunch for Training Ambassadors at Eastleigh College last Friday when Mr Huhne gave away the awards for the five outstanding training organisations, Mr Huhne said that the local economy was prospering with above average growth of high tech services and high tech manufacturing but we could not be complacent.

"The breath of tough world competition from China and India is on our necks, and we can only compete on our skills, flexibility, style and intelligence not on cheap labour" said Mr Huhne. "Training and skills is also the key to improving our local prosperity within the region and closing the pay gap".

Mr Huhne, who was a leading business economist before his election, pointed out that average weekly earnings in Eastleigh were £379 compared with £474 for the South East region as a whole.

"The key to competitiveness and closing the pay gap lies in skills in growing and high tech businesses, and the good news is that we are pushing the percentage of working age adults qualified to NVQ level 2 and above, and level 4 and above, higher than the South East average. That will lead to a catch up in pay over time, and help bring greater prosperity to the area" said Mr Huhne.

He welcomed the commitment that so many local businesses and public sector organisations had made to the Eastleigh College training ambassadors scheme designed to encourage lifelong learning.

The five winners for 2008 are: Now Energy, Hampshire Fire and Rescue, Southampton Universities NHS Trust, Hampshire County Council Finance Department and Bowmills.