The government is challenging employers in the leisure industry to sign a pledge to improve the basic skills of their workforces.

In a launch event held in London, employers from across all sectors signed the voluntary Skills Pledge as a way of publicly committing to support employees who need them to achieve literacy, numeracy and full level 2 qualifications (equivalent to five good GCSEs).

Employers who make the Skills Pledge will be guaranteed access to an expanded Train to Gain skills brokerage service that will work with employers to understand their business needs and identify the qualifications and providers that will best meet those needs.

The leisure sector’s Sector Skills Council, SkillsActive, signed the pledge during the event, as did management company DC Leisure.

SkillsActive chief executive Stephen Studd said: “As Sector Skills Council for a fast growing sector, SkillsActive is pleased to be signing the pledge and supporting the government’s drive towards increasing skills across the board.”

Richard Millard, operations support director at DC Leisure Management, said: “Signing the pledge not only opens up more support for our aim of increasing the skills of our employees and therefore the productivity of the organisation, but it also demonstrates DC Leisure’s commitment to the wider skills agenda.”