Learndirect launches campaign to encourage 10,000 unemployed people to find work

Aiming to encourage 10,000 people to sign up to learning in the week, Learndirect has teamed up with 13 partners including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the National Apprenticeship Service, Totaljobs and Centrepoint.

With a focus on getting the nation work confident, the partners will be encouraging people to get the skills, qualifications and self-belief needed to get ahead in a tough job market. The partners want to get more than 200,000 sign-ups in the next 12 months.

Make It Count Week also aims to act as a call-to-action to employers to do their bit and think about what they can do to help support and motivate their workforce with training opportunities.

John Hayes (pictured), minister of state for further education, skills and lifelong learning said: "The social and economic importance of practical learning cannot be overestimated. Learndirect's campaign will play a valuable role in inspiring people from all walks of life to learn new skills, as well as offering vital guidance to help translate aspiration into action. Building lives by building life chances."

Sarah Jones, chief executive, Learndirect, added: "At Learndirect we have witnessed first hand the huge opportunities that training can open up for individuals and employers. Make It Count Week is all about encouraging people to learn new skills and get the qualifications they need to improve their job prospects. We hope it inspires more people to take the first steps towards making learning count for them."