Ongoing staff training and development is crucial if you want to improve business performance and meet your targets.

Without  a well-trained, skilled team your business won't grow and prosper. But there are a number of initatives to ensure your staff have the right knowledge and experience required.

For new, inexperienced staff - particularly young workers - there are programmes such as Skillseekers and Modern Apprenticeships . These help you train workers to nationally-recognised standards.

There are also other programmes and initiatives that can help you such as Investors in People .

The tourism sector workforce is estimated to be in excess of 20,000 people across the Highlands and Islands and these are individuals who play a vital role by delivering service on a daily basis to the many thousands of visitors to the area. It is therefore important to continually keep on top of skills development . Help is available through a variety of initiatives, such as Hospitality Assured.

Several business advisory services have been set up to help Highlands and Islands companies. One such service is the Food and Drink Human Resources Advisory Service . This service can help you to determine your company's future business aspirations and to develop a skills action plan to allow you to meet these aspirations. Some results that you should see from assistance from this service are increased productivity and efficiency, increased throughput and development of new markets.

E-learning is also another way for you to train your staff without having to send them away for training.

Business leadership is a complex activity, especially when it comes to the key decisions about your company's future direction. The Highlands and Islands Director Development Network provides the context and resources for such issues to be discussed in a constructive and open way by members who also provide peer group support. In addition, the network includes a business coaching facility which can be used between group meetings to discuss issues in confidence which are about implementing what you have learnied in the group. It also provides an interactive website facility related to the topics which are discussed at meetings of the group and access to additional development materials.

For more information about the skills opportunities available to you contact your Careers Scotland centre.

Note: The responsibility for national training programmes transferred from Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to Skills Development Scotland on 1 April 2008.