FORWARD-thinking was the name of the game as representatives from industries, businesses and the public sector met in Swindon to discuss the improvements that could be made to encourage employees to train and better themselves.

Around one in four adults need some form of help with literacy, and a 1997 report suggested that poor basic skills cost industry around £10 billion a year.

The conference, called Building for the Future, was organised by the Learning and Skills Council, a government organisation which is responsible for funding, planning education and training young people over 16.

The conference aimed to raise learning participation at all levels, from school leavers to adult training, reduce skills gaps and to anticipate future learning needs and provision.

Representatives came from colleges, health authorities, businesses, chambers of commerce and the armed forces. Peter Marsh, director of planning and development for the Wiltshire and Swindon LSC area, explained: "Britain has been lagging behind other European countries like Germany and France in providing training for employers.

"We have always been very good at providing new opportunities for the unemployed but until now employees who wanted to improve themselves have suffered.

"We have a very large skills gap. This country provides excellent higher education for people with degrees, but for people with lesser qualifications, professional opportunities are hard to come by.

"This country's economic growth is directly linked to its investment in skills and people the more investment there is, the faster the country will grow."

The Wiltshire and Swindon region is one of six of the 47 that are beginning a pilot scheme in which employers will be paid to allow their staff to take time off and train.

"Improving the training of our workforce is essential to success in the future and by working together with industry we can all move closer to that common goal," explained Wiltshire and Swindon LSC employer development advisor Helena Allan.

The LSC was launched in April 2001, bringing together the skills of several organisations from across the UK. The organisation is based Coventry and has a budget of around £7.3 billion.