Island Business Online

No one, least not business, disputes the enormity of the challenge that demographic change poses to the UK economy, writes David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce.

Skills Minister John Hayes has called on all UK businesses to promote informal learning at work, following pledges from 64 innovative companies to increase informal workplace training for their staff.

The UK Border Agency and the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) are keen to hear from businesses and other interested parties about how an annual limit for non-EU economic migrants should work.

Building firms are urged to put forward their finest apprentices for the chance to be crowned 'Apprentice of the Year' as part of the Master Builder of the Year Awards 2010.

Projects aimed at helping youngsters get back into work have received vital funding from the Isle of Wight Community Fund (IWCF).

The South East of England is set to become a land of opportunity for older people in the next five years, writes Business Link South East.

Newport-based training firm HTP is one of 12 work-based learning providers highlighted in a recent Ofsted report for excelling at providing apprenticeships, NVQs, and other vocational qualifications for young people and adults.

The Government is launching a five week consultation on the Right to Request Time off to Train.

Smart Training, based in Newport, Isle of Wight, share a passion for people and their development and believe that whatever stage you're at in life, if you invest some of your time in learning, you'll be equipping yourself for the future.

Most employers are happy with the calibre of young people they recruit, although one in five say their existing workforce lacks skills, according to a survey of nearly 80,000 employers published on 6 August by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES).

CITB-ConstructionSkills, the industry Training Board and Sector Skills Council has issued a warning, to Government and industry, encouraging them to learn lessons from the past and take steps to prevent a long-term skills shortage of construction workers.

The Default Retirement Age (DRA) will be consigned to the history books by October 2011 under proposals published for consultation by the Government.

Recent winners of the Isle of Wight Lottery have a wide variety of ways of spending their money.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) want to hear your views of how the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system can be improved to make it more efficient for millions of taxpayers.

Subject to the granting of planning permission, East Cowes will be the first Waitrose store to be fully powered by biomass.

Unemployment rates remain high, but the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has reported that more private firms are planning to recruit staff in 2010 than last year, writes Business Link South East.

The Isle of Wight Council and Hampshire Economic Partnership (HEP) have designed and implemented a new website, 'Future Jobs, Future People', which is designed to support the 18-24 year olds who are leaving the Future Jobs Fund Scheme.

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has said that positive labour market figures must be supported.

A new survey shows one in two Europeans would consider moving if they can't find work at home.

Unemployment rates remain high, but the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) reports that more private firms are planning to recruit staff in 2010 than last year, writes Business Link South East.

For the UK's millions of small and medium-sized businesses, the impact of employee absence through illness can be huge.

Fourteen workers were killed at work in the South East between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010, according to new figures released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The private sector's experience of the recession could hold important lessons for the public sector as it faces up to unprecedented spending cuts, the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) has said.

If you are aged between 18-24 and have been unemployed for two months or more, than you might have the chance of getting a great job with the highly successful Isle of Wight based eco-fashion company Rapanui.

The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) and the CBI (Confederation of Industry) have commented on announcements about the UK pension system made by Iain Duncan Smith and Steve Webb.

Business Link South East asks: "It's important to connect with employees to make them feel confident, valued and motivated, but what makes an engaging manager?"

The CBI has unveiled a package of measures to ensure Britain's labour market is best placed to sustain businesses and jobs during the recovery; the proposals include embracing more flexible working, blocking regulations that will cost jobs, and changing industrial relations legislation.

Workingmums.co.uk has launched its inaugural Top Employer Awards to publicly recognise and celebrate those organisations that show a commitment to promoting flexible working, diversity, and work life balance.

There are now an estimated 1.4 million freelancers contributing £82 billion* to UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) across all sectors of the economy including manufacturing, services, finance, healthcare, and education, writes Business Link South East.