British PM Looks To Develop UK Business Talent

PM looks to develop business talent

Gordon Brown has called on business leaders to do more to nurture the talents of the British people. The Prime Minister said he was determined to rise to the "talent challenge" and urged the private sector to step up its efforts too.

In a speech to some of Britain's top businesspeople last night, Mr Brown said there was an "economic imperative" to improve the skills base of the UK workforce.

He said there were still not enough people from poorer backgrounds going to university and warned that much talent was being wasted.

"There is a vast reservoir of creative talent that we are not tapping," he said.

He was speaking at a summit hosted by Business in the Community - an alliance of companies who invest in social enterprise - to discuss ways of bringing on talent.

It was held at the London headquarters of retailer Marks and Spencer, whose chief executive Stuart Rose is the new chairman of Business in the Community.

Mr Brown called on business leaders to act as role models and help give people the confidence and support to unleash their potential.

"In schools, in colleges, in universities, in workplaces - even where people are out of work - we are determined to do even more over the next year to discover all the talents of the people in this country."

Employers are as important as government in harnessing the talents of the country's workforce, he added.

ENDS

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