The government has revealed that the first round of bids to the Growth and Innovation Fund (GIF) will include a £1.7m grant being made available to increase skills in hospitality while active leisure will benefit from nearly £900,000.

As a result of the money earmarked for active leisure, Skills Active will create a Group Training Association for the Sport & Active leisure sector that will help employers shape and invest in training.

It will be given a target of increasing the volume of apprentices from 11,000 to 18,000 per year.

SkillsActive will also deliver projects designed to improve the access to specialist training and qualifications for workers in the playwork and fitness & leisure sectors.

Meanwhile, People 1st will create a Hospitality Guild which will broker 500 new apprenticeship places, introduce four voluntary licence to practise schemes and help 15,000 unemployed people to find work.

The funding is part of a £20m matched funding scheme that aims to help employers to deliver more effective skills solutions through more apprenticeships, new professional standards and closer partnerships with education and training providers.

A National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills will also be set up as part of the plans, with the aim of improving training by forging new links between employers and training providers in creative and cultural industries in three new sectors – design, jewellery and heritage.