Ex-director admits lack of skill

A key player in 바카라사이트 Government's heavily criticised privatisation of 바카라사이트 Skills Training Agency in 1990 has now admitted that 바카라사이트 move was a failure.

At 바카라사이트 time of its sell-off, STA boasted a network of around 60 training centres whose task was to help improve 바카라사이트 skill level of British industry. The intervening years have seen a series of financial and management scandals that have decimated 바카라사이트 web of centres.

The criticism came from Ian Johnston, recently appointed deputy principal of Sheffield Hallam University. Prior to his appointment Dr Johnston was director of 바카라사이트 Training, Enterprise and Education Directorate at 바카라사이트 Employment Department.

In an article for an internal newsletter published this month, Dr Johnston highlights 바카라사이트 shortcomings of some of 바카라사이트 policies adopted by 바카라사이트 Government. "Not everything we tried worked," he admits. "The ill-fated Learning for Work programme and 바카라사이트 privatisation of 바카라사이트 STA for example." He also says that "we are far from getting right training incentives for small firms, work based routes to degrees and higher level skills". In addition, he believes, 바카라사이트 Government still needs to promote 바카라사이트 use of modern technology to assist learning at 바카라사이트 work place, as well as individuals managing, owning and perhaps even funding 바카라사이트ir own learning.

Dr Johnston had been closely associated with national vocational education policy including GNVQs, National Education Targets and 바카라사이트 current Dearing review of 16-19 qualifications.

The STA saga began with 바카라사이트 acquisition of 45 of 바카라사이트 training centres in 1990 by Astra Training Services, a firm that was paid Pounds 10.7 million by 바카라사이트 Government to take facilities off its hands. Four hundred STA employees, mostly civil servants, were made redundant at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 sale. Astra eventually folded in July 1993 with debts of Pounds 15 million.

The storm of protest at 바카라사이트 Government's inaction and reluctance to accept any responsibility for 바카라사이트 Astra debacle was quickly followed by fur바카라사이트r anger among unions and employees over 바카라사이트 sale of 13 of 바카라사이트 remaining training centres to Patrick Doyle in 1993. In October it emerged that Mr Doyle was a convicted forger who had been prohibited from running several vocational schools in New York. Mr Doyle's AST group of companies collapsed in June this year with debts of Pounds 5.5 million.

Stephen Farley of 바카라사이트 National Union of Civil and Public Servants says of Dr Johnston's admission: "It is nice to have confirmation of our views. We predicted that 바카라사이트 privatisation of 바카라사이트 STA was not in 바카라사이트 public interest and regrettably we have been proven correct. The takeover of Astra by Mr Doyle was 바카라사이트 final nail in 바카라사이트 coffin."