Unions in ìTrain to Gainî skills link up with employers

Government ministers, union officials and skills experts are meeting today at Ipswich Town Football clubís premises, at Portman Road, to progress the governmentís new skills programme ìTrain to Gainî.

Harlow MP and Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Bill Rammell, will join Paul Storey, Skills Development Director East of England Learning and Skills Council; Hilary Clifford, Regional Director of the University for Industry, and unionlearnís Jon Tennison at a conference organised by unionlearn (the TUCís learning and skills organisation).

The speakers will advise union full-time officers, and union learning representatives on how to promote the new Train to Gain scheme. Unionlearn, in the Eastern region, now has over 1,000 union learning reps helping their colleagues at work onto courses such as literacy, numeracy, IT, and English language.

In advance of the conference union officials in the Eastern region have briefed a number of public and private sector organisations on the benefits of the ìTrain to Gainî scheme. Those who are considering the scheme through this route are: Arriva Buses, Thurrock and Southend; Dairy Crest, Fenstanton Cambridgeshire and Chadwell Heath Essex; Essex County Council, Fleet Drivers; Estuary Housing, Essex; Indesit Company, Peterborough; Jewish Care; Peterborough City Council, Fleet Drivers; Sainsburyís, Waltham Point; Silverlink; and Tesco, Thurrock Essex.

Bill Rammell MP, Minister for Lifelong Learning said This Government is strongly committed to working with our partners to ensure the success of our national employer service, Train to gain. It is a central part of our strategy to give employers and employees the skills our economy needs to be competitive. It offers employers impartial advice and easy access to quality training; matching training needs with providers and ensuring that training is delivered in the most accessible and appropriate way for their business. Above the core offer of 700 million; we have invested an additional 197 million to support nation-wide implementation between now and 2008. Union Learning Representatives have a vital role to play in raising awareness of the opportunities available through Train to Gain for their members and their employers.

Barry Francis, Southern and Eastern Manager for unionlearn said: ìThis is an exciting new service designed to help businesses, and trade union members employed by them, to get the training they need to succeed. We are ready to work with employers, the Government and the Learning and Skills Council to make sure this is a success. With such support we are all potential winners in the race to improve our regionís skills base.î

Train to Gain will be a ìdemand ledî programme. It will cost the Government 230million in its first year, plus 68 million to cover the cost of brakerage and learners wage costs, Employers will agree the training they require with independent skills brokers. They will then select which providers they wish to use. Next year Train to Gain will work with the Sector Skills Councils and regions to decide how the programme will roll-out.