Investing in the skills and talents of the next generation will be vital to help Britain’s economic growth, the Prime Minister has said.
Speaking at the new British Gas Energy Academy, in Leicester, Gordon Brown said this was the reason the Government has increased funding for apprenticeships to more than £1 billion this year.
Providing more jobs and training, particularly for young people, was one of the ambitions set out in the Building Britain’s Future plan published by the Government earlier this week.
The Prime Minister was visiting Leicester on the first leg of a journey around the country to explain more about Building Britain’s Future and to engage with members of the public.
He toured the academy and met apprentices before officially opening the facility and presenting the British Gas Apprentice of the Year Award.
The PM said:
“Times are tough at the moment, but the economic slowdown must not be an excuse to slow down the pace of investment and reform. So on Monday, the Government published our plan for Building Britain’s Future and for putting us firmly on the path to a fairer, stronger and more prosperous society for all.
“A big part of that will be about seizing future opportunities for economic growth - investing in the skills and talents of the next generation and, with it, the future prosperity of our country.”
Following the tour, Mr Brown took part in a question and answer session with 18 to 24-year-olds, and visited the statue of Gandhi in Leicester, where he laid a wreath and signed the visitor book.
Tomorrow, he will travel to Yorkshire where he will be joined by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to listen to the views of business leaders from the region. He will also meet with credit and debt advisers to talk about the Consumer White Paper.
Speeches and transcripts: Speech at British Gas Energy Academy
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