Employers are to have a greater say in education and training as part of a government-wide skills strategy to be published in the spring.
Adult learning and skills minister Ivan Lewis is to hold a series of regional skills summits with employers in the next few months. The results will feed into the planned skills strategy.
The government has further underlined its focus on skills training by appointing Digby Jones, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, to the Learning and Skills Council.