CIPD welcomes latest government skills drive

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development welcomes John Denham, Skills Secretaryís announcement to expand training provision and increase the total number of apprenticeship schemes from 250,000 to 400,000 by 2010/11. Upgrading in workforce skills is vital to compete in the global economy.

CIPD research shows that there are major areas of concern surrounding people in the workforce who lack basic skills and are underprepared for the world of work. The CIPD/KPMG quarterly Labour Market Outlook, a survey of over 1,400 UK employers, found employers are placing much more emphasis on the soft skills of school leavers such as communication skills and work ethic than on literacy and numeracy ñ and that these are factors they take into account when deciding whether to recruit migrant labour.

Dr John McGurk, CIPDís Learning, Training and Development adviser said: ìProgress will only be made when a real understanding of what skills are required and how they can be used to deliver value in the workplace.

ìBluntly government agencies have failed to gain credibility amongst employers and questions need to be asked about recent schemes such as Train to Gain and the Skills Pledge. Our Labour Market Outlook survey finds that two thirds of UK employers believe that the Government is right to prioritise basic skills training. However, while a small majority say they are likely to make the skills pledge there is a significant challenge ahead in convincing all employers that making the skills pledge will have real benefits in the workplace. Only one in seven employers has experience of Train to Gain and, worryingly, a quarter of employers that have engaged with the scheme say it did not meet business needs. A third said it did, and the rest are still reserving judgement.

ìSuccess can only be achieved by working with employers and understanding their needs rather than through grand announcements and initiatives thrown around like confetti.ì

Key findings:

*Two thirds of employers surveyed agree that raising the proportion of UK adults with at least level 2 equivalent skills qualifications should be a priority for government policy. More than half (54%) of those surveyed say that they are either very likely (27%) or fairly likely (27%) to make the level 2 ëskills pledgeí as recommended in the Leitch review of skills.

* 14% of employers seem indifferent or uncertain about the skills pledge, while a further 12% say that the pledge is not applicable to them. Fifteen per cent of employers say that they are either fairly unlikely (9%) or very unlikely (6%) to make the pledge.

* Almost half (46%) of employers unlikely to make the pledge are concerned about the cost or resources involved. 1 in 3 are not convinced of the business case. Twenty two per cent cite lack of commitment from senior management and 13% lack of employee motivation.

* Only a minority (15%) of employers surveyed have had direct experience of Train to Gain. A third of employers with an experience of Train to Gain are satisfied that Train to Gain meets their business needs, compared with 23% who say that it doesnít.

* Yet, when the benefits of Train to ain are explained to employers, the number of employers that express an interest in taking advantage of Train to Gain almost doubles to 29%.