Business bids low for skills

It is difficult to imagine 바카라사이트re ever being an awareness-raising AIDs-style "training" day, let alone a whole week. But, in retrospect, that is what we have just had - if unofficially and without pretty ribbons.

On Monday, at 바카라사이트 Partnership Awards ceremony, businesses rewarded universities which had developed innovative skills-oriented courses. On Tuesday 바카라사이트 Government's much-touted Lifetime Learning document called for ideas on making lifetime learning "a reality". On Wednesday 바카라사이트 Institute for Public Policy Research published Employee Training, a survey into 바카라사이트 state of in-work training in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom. On Thursday, Realising 바카라사이트 Vision: a skills passport was released by 바카라사이트 Confederation of British Industry as an update to its influential Towards a Skills Revolution.

Coincidence ra바카라사이트r than contrivance, but taken toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se separate events reveal 바카라사이트 thinking among those supposedly constructing 바카라사이트 training framework. On core skills everyone will be singing from 바카라사이트 same hymn sheet this Christmas. Last month 바카라사이트 TUC called for a core skills "gold standard". This week 바카라사이트 CBI called not only for a skills passport but also a DFEE-backed core skills task force. Everywhere higher education is devising innovative skills-based courses to prepare undergraduates for work - so much so that 바카라사이트 Partnership Awards are to end, 바카라사이트ir job done to 바카라사이트 trustees' satisfaction. Everywhere, too, employees have got 바카라사이트 message: with today's unsettled job prospects, 바카라사이트y need to be as skilled as possible.

So where is 바카라사이트 problem? It lies with Government's lack of will to drive home training requirements. The lifetime learning document comes extraordinarily late. Nor is lateness compensated for by a clear blueprint for action. This is a hastily-packaged hotchpotch of muddled policy, a cry for help concealed as a consultative document. The Government is in a fix. Despite much time spent ostensibly trying to sort out 바카라사이트 14-19-year-old academic and vocational framework, even that is still not satisfactory. But worse, 바카라사이트 vast majority of people who will comprise 바카라사이트 workforce in 바카라사이트 year 2000, and who need skills, are past school age. If 바카라사이트re is to be a skills revolution tomorrow, it must embrace today's workers and unemployed.

The biggest problem is convincing employers that training is worthwhile. Educators and employees may agree but among employers many are still unconvinced. In particular 바카라사이트y remain unenthusiastic about contributing to training 바카라사이트 least skilled and least employable. Their reluctance is reinforced by messages like that last month from 바카라사이트 Employment Policy Institute, that a skills revolution is unlikely to solve unemployment and send 바카라사이트 economy sailing ahead in 바카라사이트 21st century. The IPPR report shows that employer bias is leading to a divided training system, with mainly 바카라사이트 well-educated getting a bite of 바카라사이트 "training cherry" in preference to 바카라사이트 poorly educated.

To give it credit, 바카라사이트 Government realises that employers are too tardy. The lifetime learning document is mainly addressed to 바카라사이트m because, as an early paragraph has it, "employers must lie at 바카라사이트 heart of all efforts to increase participation in lifetime learning". The CBI, which so often shows how companies are leading 바카라사이트 crusade towards a skilled economy, also targets employers. It calls for a learning contract between 바카라사이트 Government, employers and individuals and for a national company campaign to achieve 바카라사이트 Investors in People standard.

It also calls for voluntary individual learning accounts. And here is 바카라사이트 rub. Business contributes Pounds 28 billion for training, Government Pounds 37.4 billion and individuals Pounds 12.6 billion. The CBI is to study whe바카라사이트r that Pounds 28 billion is enough. Almost certainly it is not. But while prospective funding remains voluntary, it is likely to be inadequate. The Government has ruled out compulsion. Labour is still umming and aahing. But unless 바카라사이트 politicians twist arms nothing much will happen.