The government will invite employers to get involved in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games at a summit on 24 January.
Olympics minister Tessa Jowell has pledged to provide “hard facts” on what skills are required, and how to win contracts and prospective sponsorship opportunities at the conference, to be held at Canary Wharf, two miles from the Olympic site.
“I want companies to be champing at the bit for the chance to share in the 2012 experience. But they need to understand the big picture now and how they can get involved,” Jowell said.
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Speakers will include CBI director-general Sir Digby Jones, mayor of London Ken Livingstone and TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.
Barber said: “The whole of industry needs to start gearing up for 2012 immediately.”
Jowell added: “The games are a unique opportunity for business and workers to benefit in a host of different ways. There are great opportunities here to win lucrative and rewarding contracts. All the UK can, and must, benefit.”