ClickAJob News

Some of Britain's largest employers are today expected to sign up to a new government commitment to promote worker training.

The Skills Pledge will see companies agree to support employees to develop their abilities and work towards at least a level two qualification – equivalent to five GCSEs.

The flagship policy will be launched today by chancellor Gordon Brown; education and skills secretary Alan Johnson; and work and pensions secretary John Hutton.

A "large number" of firms are braced to sign the voluntary commitment, the government says.

But the plans have been attacked by business groups as "unhelpful and patronising".

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) says it is in favour of companies supporting employee skill bases, but claims the employer pledge is "not the right way to increase training in the workplace".

BCC director general David Frost said: "The overwhelming majority of businesses are committed to training their staff, albeit not always through standard qualifications as often these do not meet their needs.

"However, they are concerned that the pledge will mean that essential public resources will be diverted away from making the skills infrastructure simpler for employers to navigate in order to make sure that employers sign up to it."

The Skills Pledge, due to be reviewed in 2010, is set to "too tight a timeframe", Mr Frost argued.

"In 2010 the government will look at the take-up of training by employers as well as the numbers of those signing the pledge. If these are not high enough, it is possible that some form of compulsion will be introduced in the form of a levy or licence to practice."