in an 18 month pilot programme to help five local companies implement better training for their employees.

Minister of Labour, Home Affairs & Public Affairs Quinton Edness yesterday announced the introduction of the UK's Investors In People programme to Bermuda.

"Investors in People is all about training, motivation and competitiveness,'' Mr. Edness said at a press conference. The programme will initially focus on training development at five companies -- Cranleigh Secretarial Services, Esso City, Air Care Ltd., Continental Motors Ltd., and Aberfeldy Nurseries Ltd.

Government's personnel services will also be involved in the pilot programme.

Government will fund the introduction of the programme, which will involve the use of consultants UK-based Hillen & Jenkinson, and the monitoring of the companies by Investors in People UK.

The companies will be responsible for implementing and funding changes to their training programmes according to the standards recognised by the Investors in People UK. Once the companies achieve the standard the Investors in People will give them accreditation as having met the benchmarks After the pilot programme is completed, the National Training Board will set up an Investors In People Bermuda that will oversee the expansion of the standard to other companies.

Investors In People UK international projects manager Sarah Pearce said other pilot programmes to extend the training standard worldwide were also underway in Australia, Denmark, Holland,, Ireland, the US, and Canada. The standard was created by studying the practices of some of the UK's best performing companies. Currently 30,000 UK businesses and organisations are involved in the programme and represent about seven million employees.

"The Investors in People Standard provides a framework for improving business performance and competitiveness, through a planned approach to setting and communicating business objectives and developing people to meet these objectives,'' a brochure put out by the UK organisations states.

Businesses will be encouraged to undertake a review of their training programmes in comparison with the standard promoted by the UK agencies. The companies will then get assistance in implementing the training programmes.

TRAINING GURUS -- Investors In People UK international projects manager Sarah Pearce, and consultant Eric Jenkinson of Hillen & Jenkinson.