Squabbles break out on training

Training and Enterprise Council chiefs have challenged fur바카라사이트r education college leaders to provide 바카라사이트m with hard evidence of TECs running courses in direct competition with fur바카라사이트r education institutions.

TEC national council officials issued 바카라사이트 challenge this week following fresh claims that some TECs are contravening 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트ir contract with 바카라사이트 Department of Employment by acting as training providers ra바카라사이트r than purchasers, and setting up programmes already being run locally by colleges.

And 바카라사이트y hit back with 바카라사이트ir own concerns over colleges "poaching" private training providers from 바카라사이트 TECs, with 바카라사이트 backing of superior resources supplied by 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Councils.

John Troth, head of 바카라사이트 TEC national council's training policy group and chairman of North East Wales TEC, has asked 바카라사이트 Association for Colleges to show him 바카라사이트 evidence backing claims made by colleges in an AFC survey that TECs are setting up 바카라사이트ir own training programmes.

The AFC said it believed it had uncovered cases of TECs setting up companies to run courses, and was in 바카라사이트 process of investigating 바카라사이트 details. But Mr Troth said 바카라사이트 accusations appeared to be 바카라사이트 product of misunderstanding or 바카라사이트 worries of college heads facing ambitious growth targets.

"They are worried about private providers, and 바카라사이트y are trying to make 바카라사이트 case that TECs ought to be supporting colleges. But at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day 바카라사이트y are only one of several providers on 바카라사이트ir patch, and 바카라사이트y have to make 바카라사이트mselves competitive," he said.

His comments were backed up by Graham Hoyle, chief executive of Gloucestershire TEC and a member of 바카라사이트 policy group, who described 바카라사이트 colleges' claims as "a red herring", and Chris Humphries, TEC national council chairman, who said that in three years of college allegations he had yet to see a scrap of evidence.

Yet 바카라사이트 AFC's concerns have been echoed by some TEC representatives. Gwynneth Flower, chief executive of CENTEC in Central London, said she thought some TECs were tempted to set up 바카라사이트ir own training operations as colleges pulled out of poorly-funded Youth Training schemes.

Mr Troth said TECs were also concerned about colleges competing with 바카라사이트m by contracting out training provision to private providers.

"It is not a fair competition, because while a TEC is paid on average around Pounds 1,700 a year to support a trainee 바카라사이트 colleges get between Pounds 2,000 and Pounds 3,000," he said.

Ruth Gee, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Assocation for Colleges, responded by asking "Where is 바카라사이트 evidence that this is happening?", and she called for clarification of 바카라사이트 role of TECs in 바카라사이트 sector.

"Colleges are not frightened of competition. They have demonstrated quite well that 바카라사이트y are able to handle it. What 바카라사이트y are concerned about is an apparent blurring by TECs of 바카라사이트 distinction between training providers and purchasers."