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Karren Brady calls on women to step up to the skills challenge

By TJ (26-07-2007)
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Learning and Development News - Karren Brady calls on women to step up to the skills challenge

As the boss of newly promoted Premiership League Club Birmingham FC, Karren Brady has packed a lifetime of achievement in her career - experience she is now using as an advocate for women in the workplace.

Karren is urging women workers across the UK to participate in a £10 million initiative to help them secure better training and support to fulfil their potential. She is spearheading the second phase of the Women & Work Project which was launched last year by Gordon Brown as Chancellor.

The project is testing new recruitment and career opportunities for up to 10,000 women over two years in nine sectors where there are skills shortages and where women are under-represented. It is being delivered by Sector Skills Councils working with employers.

Karren was only 23 when she became MD of Birmingham City FC and has transformed its fortunes. An exemplary role model, Karren has encouraged her own female employees to achieve their potential through mentoring systems and training programmes.

She said: "There has been progress since I started out but the glass ceiling still exists for women in the UK - only 33 per cent of managers and senior officials in business and the public sector are female.

"But women are the hidden asset in ambitious companies looking to increase productivity. Working with Sector Skills Councils to unlock the potential of women in the labour market could be worth between £15 and £23 billion to the UK economy."

She said: "From my experience, you need to enable women to take control of their careers, inspiring them to achieve higher and give them the right tools to succeed."

The project has many success stories including grandmother of two, Cheryl Mundy, who recently gained her LGV qualification through Women & Work after working for years in accounts at logistics company J.Pickard & Co of Umberleigh. She said: "The scheme was a fantastic opportunity for me to gain new skills and grow in confidence to do something I've always wanted to do." Her Managing Director Graham Short said: "I'm pleased that Cheryl has been given the chance to progress in her career. It's also been of huge benefit to the firm as we now have a relief driver available on site."

Karren is asking more employers to develop the skills of their female workforce so as to increase the productivity of their businesses and public service organisations.

Supporting the scheme, David Lammy, Minister for Skills, said, "We are investing £10m to address the skills gender imbalance. It's about getting a better deal for women and for all of us, as this has the potential to bring a greater rate of return to our economy and to our society as a whole."

The Government investment is matched by contributions from employers to provide skills training, development and support - offering women the opportunity to train for a new job or progress within their company into higher skilled, better paid jobs.

Funding is available to the following sectors: construction, food and drink manufacture, environment and land based industries, clothing manufacture, transport, automotive retail, science & engineering, cleaning & facilities management, and energy and utilities.

 

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