Habia is to work alongside the Association of Employment and Training Providers (AELP) to identify and address current and future skills needs in the UK hair and beauty sector.

It follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which will see AELP represent the interests of its hair and beauty members on behalf of sector skills council Habia.

AELP will also sit on the board of the Habia Skills Academy, which has been established to provide a forum through which the agency can consult providers on a range of issues.

It is the latest announcement from Habia, which was named as the sector's preferred supplier of training and business development services earlier this year.

Habia chief executive officer Alan Goldsbro said: "This agreement will see the two organisations pooling together their collective experience for the benefit of both training providers and the employers and learners who use their services."

Details: www.habia.org

Image: Habia deputy chief executive officer Andrew Darby and Chris Jeffery, AELP skills champion for hair and beauty