Grant Hearn to serve on skills body for London

Travelodge chief executive Grant Hearn has been selected to advise the Mayor and the Government on the needs of London's hospitality industry as part of a new skills body for the capital.

The Skills and Employment Board for London will be chaired by Mayor Ken Livingstone, supported by vice-chairman Harvey McGrath, chairman of London First. The board will consist of business leaders, large employers and education specialists.

Its main duty is to formulate and publish a strategy and annual plan for adult post-19 skills training and employment in London and review its implementation.

Education Secretary Alan Johnson asked Ken Livingstone to establish the new board because the Government believed the capital required a separate skills strategy.

Hearn said: "Tourism is now being recognised as a strategically important sector to both the national and London economy. Employers in London must work harder to give people more opportunities to find and develop careers in hospitality.

"This will boost the profile of the sector and go some way to addressing the skills shortages we could soon be facing because of the speed of growth in London.

"The image of hospitality as a career is being transformed into one that provides proper structure and opportunity to develop. I hope to help drive this transformation by championing our profession on the board and to the Government," he added.

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E-mail your comments to [Daniel Thomas](daniel.thomas@rbi.co.uk?subject=Grant Hearn to be on skills body) here.

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