THE board of Tyne and Wear's new Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has been announed by its chair, Ashley Winter.

Council members will work together to encourage more people to take the opportunity to transform their lives through education and training, and give local businesses a say in getting the skilled people they need.

Mr Winter said: "The Council members have a wealth of experience and local knowledge from which to draw to act as a powerful advocate for all customers of training and education from small businesses to individual learners."

"This combination of local knowledge and the partnerships which exist in Tyne and Wear, reinforced by the strategic support of a national organisation, means that the LSC will play a key role to play in building on and investing in the skills of people and businesses in our region."

Bryan Sanderson, national chairman of the Learning and Skills Council, said: "This is a significant step forward in the development of the Learning and Skills Council.

"We now have, in every part of England, a talented team of people to deliver the huge challenge ahead of us -to transform post-1 6 education and training.

"The local Learning and Skills Councils will work in partnership to create a culture where businesses see the need to train their employees as fundamental to their success, and where the education and training system is driven by the needs of earners, businesses, and communities - its customers.

"We will develop new ways to help Individuals and employers who do not currently engage in education and training," he added.

" We will also bring back into learning those who system may have failed, by reaching out to them, and developing training which is more suitable to their individual needs."