Training system needs improvement
A new report on training and skills for the over-16s has argued that the system must change if it is to meet the needs of employers and employees.
In its review of training provision, the Commons Education Select Committee said that there was a “strong warning sign” that an overhaul of the system was required.
In particular, the Committee report identified failings in the government’s Train to Gain scheme, which supports staff training in such areas as computing and maths. It said that subsidised funding might have been going to businesses that would have trained their workers as a matter of course.
The level of paperwork involved in enrolling new learners also came in for criticism, with the cross-party group of MPs saying that the amount of bureaucracy in the system needed to be reduced.
The level of overlap between different agencies and providers likewise caused the Committee cause for concern.
The chairman of the select committee, Barry Sheerman, said: “We very much welcome the increased focus on skills, but some crucial issues need addressing if the government's high ambitions are going to be realised.
“More ‘demand-led’ learning is a good idea in principle, but it is not currently being translated into practice. It is vital that we get skills policy right.”
Government minister, Lord Triesman responded by saying that every effort would be made to ensure that skills training offered “a more market-oriented service”.
He said: “The government is committed to strengthening the UK’s economic position, ensuring that employers have the right skills to support the success of their business and that employees have the necessary skills to be both employable and personally fulfilled.”