Retraining initiatives to get £27m

The Department for Work and Pensions has announced that £27m will be invested in new projects to help people improve skills and stay in work.

The government initiative is designed to help people retrain and find work in tough global economic times, in addition to the £100m recently made available for skills training, with particular focus on those facing redundancy.

Interested organisations are being asked to submit proposals to run regional projects that can develop new ways of extending employment opportunities and improving skills.

The funding will come from new European social fund money, and each project will work with at least one partner from another EU member state.

Welcoming the investment, Tony McNulty, minister for employment and welfare reform said: “At a time when we are facing global economic challenges it is essential that we make sure everyone has the right skills for the vacancies which exist and that employers are looking to fill.”