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25 million will gain right to request time to train
- 04 December 2008
- Some twenty five million employees are set to benefit from a new right to request time at work to undertake training, thanks to a new Bill in today's Queen's Speech.
The Bill will give each employee the right to request relevant training they need to improve their skills and to have these requests properly considered by their employer.
Ministers believe such a measure will be a powerful lever to ensure British businesses and individuals get the skills they need to emerge stronger after the economic downturn.
In England, the Government will support the new right by its increased investment in adult skills, which is expected to top £4.5 bn by 2009/10, including an expansion of Train to Gain to over £1bn by 2010/11.
Skills Secretary John Denham, who led the initiative, has argued the legislation will give many workers their first proper chance to have a serious discussion with their managers about their training needs. Research suggests that currently one third of employers do not train their staff and eight million received no kind of training last year.
But Ministers are also determined to ensure that the new right will not be a burden to business so the proposals should fit with what the best employers are already doing while encouraging others to follow those good examples.
Skills Secretary John Denham said:
"Businesses that invest in skills and training are far more likely to succeed and weather the downturn.
"Research last year showed firms that don't train are two and half times more likely to fail than those that do.
"I believe the legislation we have announced today will prove to be a powerful incentive for employers and employees to properly consider their training needs and to build a stronger future for their organisations and themselves."
"It will also encourage employers and employees to take advantage of publicly supported skills training"
Under the new measure requests could be to undertake accredited courses that lead to a qualification or for unaccredited training. Employers would be required to consider seriously the requests they receive, using the same sort of processes they have in place to manage requests for flexible working. The right relates to skills which are relevant to the employee's job. The right will encourage more employers to organise good employee review processes in which training needs are discussed.
The measure has received backing from business and employee representatives and the consultation on the proposals has received a positive response. A summary published today shows that 67 per cent of English respondents said the measures could help skills development in their organisations.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
"If the UK is to compete internationally as a highly skilled economy, many more workers will need to access high quality training. The new right to request time to train will help millions of workers access the skills they need to fulfil their potential and will also promote a wider dialogue on training in our workplaces"
Deputy Director-General of the CBI, John Cridland, said:
"Employers invest £39bn every year in staff training and regularly discuss skills and training needs with their employees. The right to request will build on this existing good practice.
"We need a stronger skills base and a more competitive economy, and so these proposals must ensure that employers only accept requests for business-relevant training."
The new legislation could help over 300,000 people each year in England to receive training who otherwise would not have done - and will ensure training is taken more seriously by more employers.
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