The Education and Employment Secretary, David Blunkett, announced the launch of a new website called the Learning and Work Bank as part of its nationwide employment and education drive.

He said the government was taking up the challenge of placing 10,000 new job kiosks - computer touch-screens linked to the internet - in areas such as pubs, shopping centres, and doctors' surgeries.

It is hoped the kiosks will give members of the public greater access to information about available jobs and training.

'Leap forward'

Speaking to businessmen from the Harvard Business School Club of London, Mr Blunkett said: "This is a leap forward in using internet technology - helping people look for work.

"The new website will bring together, for the first time in one place, information about learning opportunities provided by the University for Industry, with information about new vacancies provided by the Employment Service.

"In practice, this will mean that all the Employment Service's vacancies will be visible on the internet, alongside the learning opportunities that will help equip people to get, and keep, their jobs."

"But there is a great deal more to be done. We must take on the challenge and place 10,000 kiosks where people already go and we have experiments already running in some of these areas.

"The touch-screen will enable men and women, wherever they are - in a job-centre or in their local shopping centre - to make their own arrangements for employment."

David Blunkett: 'Updating skills is the key'

Mr Blunkett pointed out that Employment Service Direct places more than 1,000 people each week through job-matching on the ES website and agreements with BBC digital TV will further extend access to these services.

And he announced £1m of joint funding, from the Department for Education and Employment and the Department for Trade and Industry, for a new business initiative.

He said: "Constantly updating skills is the key to keeping up with the changing labour market and Stephen Byers and I are today establishing the Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership.

"The council will aim to improve the capacity and competencies of UK managers which, by common consent, lag behind those of our competitors.

"The council will be a small elite group of industrialists and entrepreneurs, chaired by Sir Anthony Cleaver Chairman of AEA Technology.

"The first task of the management leadership team will be to develop a management strategy and examine the way that management education is organised and delivered.

"The world is changing and managers have to be able to adapt.

"New technology means that there are new types of businesses that were not possible before.

"E-commerce is likely to change the way we trade. University for Industry aims to change the way we learn. Free trade across the world is likely to change the way we work and produce.