D&A pledges skills support

Dollond & Aitchison has become the first optical retailer to make a public Skills Pledge, at a London event last month attended by government ministers and announcing the chair of a new UK Commission for Employment & Skills.

D&A joined more than 150 UK employers to make a public and voluntary commitment to support all its employees to develop basic numeracy and literacy skills and gain valuable qualifications.

The company already offers apprenticeships, NVQs and key skills to all its optical advisers and signing the skills pledge will expand it to other parts of the company. A Skills Broker will assess the company's training needs and produce an action plan setting out contributions from the state, employer and the individual.