The sports academy was opened by Lord Young, minister for skills and apprenticeships, and Gerry Sutcliffe, minister for sport, at Lord’s cricket ground, in London, this month. Its aim is to introduce new employees to the sports and leisure industry, in order to improve standards, and ensure that there are enough skilled volunteers in place for the 2012 Olympic Games.

The academy aims to provide sport and leisure training to 85,000 people a year and is part of the National Skills Academy Network, a collection of employee-led centres of excellence, dedicated to delivering and improving skills to the UK workforce.

The network is managed by the Learning and Skills Council, working in partnership with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, the Skills for Business Network, and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reforms.

Lord Young said: “I am delighted that employers in the sport and active leisure sector have seized upon the National Skills Academy initiative. The employers investing in this partnership will reap the rewards of the dividends of high quality tailored training and safeguard future growth in their industry. The launch is great news for the future of the nation’s health and will work to directly deliver skilled workers for London 2012 and beyond.”

There are already 120 learners signed up to the sports academy, which says that a fifth of all the UK sport and leisure companies have reported a skills gap, 79 per cent of the industry lack good customer service skills and 64 per cent of sport and leisure managers need better management and leadership skills.

Martin Havenhand, chairman of the national skills academy, said: “We are in an exciting and challenging era for the British sports and active leisure industry. I am delighted to be involved in this pioneering partnership between big name employers of the industry and government that is addressing our skills needs. The employer-led National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure will respond with a better skilled workforce, equipped for successfully meeting business needs.”

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