The newly formed Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) today launched a campaign to improve skills across the UK workforce.

The cross-media initiative driven by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and DIUS aims to change attitudes of employers and individuals about learning and skills over a three-to five year period. It is the first part of plans to address requirements set out last year by the Leitch Review of Skills.

An advertising campaign called Our Future invites employees to call a dedicated phone line or visit a web portal hosted by LSC for career development advice.

The campaign will be followed by a similar advertising initiative focused at employers called Train and Gain to be launched on 16 July.

Secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills John Denham says the UK’s success depends on its ability to innovate and having a world-class research base, new products and services that we can offer the world

‘The Leitch Review found we need a world-class skills base from the high-end graduate skills to tackling the problem of low adult basic skills and the intermediate levels,’ he said.

There are many other countries developing their populations’ skills and unless the UK does the same it will stagnate, says Denham.

The advertising campaign ‘Our future. It’s in our hands’ will appear across a wide range of national and regional television channels as well as across print, radio, outdoor and online media from 9 July.

A dedicated phone line 0800 011 3030 and web site www.lsc.gov.uk/inourhands will offer access to relevant information about how to improve skills through different training opportunities available for young people, adults and employers.