9 January 2009: Sport businesses in London are set for a prosperous 2009, as the region prepares to host a number of sporting events this year along with the National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure getting underway. Earlier this month, culture secretary Andy Burnham said Britain will enter a “golden decade of sport” in 2009 and has called upon everyone to get involved as a player, coach or volunteer.
“We saw great sporting success in 2008,” says Vicki McQuaid, London’s Business Development Manager for the skills academy. “But now businesses must work together to continue our achievements as we head towards the 2012 Olympics. There has never been a better time for individuals to take up sport but we need a skilled and motivated workforce in place and the National Skills Academy can help employers achieve this in a cost effective way.”
Significant events taking place in London this year include ICC World Twenty20 Cricket, Artistic Gymnastics World Championships and the World Modern Pentathlon Championships in Crystal Palace. The region will also see the introduction of free swimming for under 16s and over 65s. The skills academy is already regarded as playing a significant role in training, up-skilling and professionalising the sports sector.
Anne Adams-King at the Amateur Swimming Association says:
“Like all governing bodies, we want more people participating in sport and we want to win more medals. However, we need the coaches, lifeguards and other support staff in place–both paid and voluntary. The National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure really helps us to address our training needs. It is well placed to help with the more general areas like communications and other softer skills, which allows us to concentrate on the technical aspects of training.”
The National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure puts employers at the heart of skills training for the sector and works in partnership with the government and the best training providers from both the public and private sectors. The skills academy’s regional hub in London will initially be at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, before moving into the London 2012 Legacy Park immediately after the Games.
For more information on the National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure, visit www.sportactivensa.co.uk