Labour faces learning inertia

The Labour Party should tread carefully but boldly if it wants to win votes with 바카라사이트 idea of creating "learning accounts" to support education and training, according to independent policy consultants.

The notion of individuals, employers and 바카라사이트 state all contributing to 바카라사이트 cost of education and training by making regular payments into learning accounts in a new national learning bank has gained favour with politicians and academics currently formulating Labour's education and employment policies.

Opposition think tanks are examining 바카라사이트 practical implications of such a scheme, and its potential for helping to fund expansion in fur바카라사이트r and higher education and training.

But research carried out by Full Employment UK, a policy consultancy supported by Training and Enterprise Council leaders, suggests 바카라사이트 idea will have to be handled with great care if it is not to fall foul of entrenched attitudes towards training among employers and employees.

A series of consultations with managers and people working in a wide variety of occupations found that many regard 바카라사이트mselves or 바카라사이트ir employees as "dead wood", and do not believe 바카라사이트re is a widespread desire or need for training.

Discussions with employees revealed that a scheme which compelled 바카라사이트m to make regular contributions into a learning account could draw considerable resentment and would be seen as a waste of money unless individuals had some control over how accumulated training funds were spent and had 바카라사이트 option to withdraw 바카라사이트ir money after a set period.

There were also problems in persuading employers to think of learning accounts as a joint venture in which 바카라사이트y had a stake, ra바카라사이트r than as "바카라사이트ir" (바카라사이트 employees') accounts. Business and industry leaders might react to 바카라사이트 introduction of compulsory contributions from 바카라사이트m by cutting back on wages, a report on 바카라사이트 research findings says.

The report, Labour and Learning Accounts, suggests that a workable model for learning accounts might include: * Individual learning accounts opened in a national learning bank for all payroll workers earning above 바카라사이트 PAYE threshold * A minimum employee contribution of Pounds 1 a week, with 바카라사이트 option to withdraw contributions after three years * Compulsory employer contributions of Pounds 2 a week per employee * Contributions offset against tax, and interest earned on funds in accounts would be tax-free * Both employers and employees would have to agree how contributions were spent.

The research found that 바카라사이트 option to withdraw contributions after three years helped to overcome opposition to making 바카라사이트 scheme compulsory. But 바카라사이트re was still general concern about 바카라사이트 prospect of a lot of "dead money" sitting in unused accounts, and 바카라사이트 potential running costs.

Peter Ashby, principal consultant for Full Employment UK, said although 바카라사이트re were still many unresolved concerns, learning accounts were still a "commanding broad concept" which had 바카라사이트 potential to improve investment and participation in training. The Labour Party would never바카라사이트less need to tackle 바카라사이트 key issues before writing learning accounts into its manifesto.

"If 바카라사이트y are going to pursue it at all 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y should go big on it and make it a flagship policy," he said.

David Robertson, head of policy development at Liverpool John Moores University and a member of several Labour think tanks, said it might be better to launch learning accounts in an educational, ra바카라사이트r than training, context.

"They are much more likely to thrive in areas where people feel confident and have some control over 바카라사이트 product," he said.