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embargo: 00.01 April 5

Right to Training is on the Right Track

A third of people who do not receive training from their employers have said that they are likely to use a new right to request training, according to a poll published by unionlearn, the learning and skills arm of the TUC.

From tomorrow (April 6), 11 million employees in Great Britain will have the new right to ask for time away from work to undertake training that they believe will improve their performance and be beneficial to the business. Employers will be able to turn down requests only when there is a sound business reason to do so.

The unionlearn poll found:

• over two fifths (42 per cent) of workers said that they were very likely or somewhat likely to use the new right to ask for more training from their employer;
• 32 per cent of employees who currently receive no training from their employer say that they are very likely or somewhat likely to use the new right to ask for training;
• younger employees aged 18-34 are most likely to use the new right (60 per cent very likely or somewhat likely) as are employees with a degree (50 per cent very likely or somewhat likely); and

Tom Wilson, director of unionlean, said: 'This new right could transform learning at work. Employers can, of course, say no but will need to show good reason. The similar right to request flexible working resulted in millions of employees making requests with over 90 per cent being agreed by employers. Knowing that they have the right to ask will encourage millions of employees, putting pressure on employers who don't train to think again and helping all employees get a fair chance to improve their skills.'

The poll accompanies a new TUC report - Right to Training is on the Right Track - which finds that the people most in need of help to improve their skills are the least likely to get it.

The report, using the latest data from the Government's Labour Force Survey, to analyse the latest trends in workplace training, found that fewer than 1 in 10 employees without a qualification are offered regular training and this trend has actually deteriorated slightly over the past decade;

there has been no overall improvement in the proportion of employees receiving regular job-related training during the past decade. In fact there has been a slight decline with 28 per cent of employees now saying they receive regular training compared to 29 per cent in 2000;

• however, the proportion of employees accessing regular training at work remained stable - at 28 per cent - during the recession;

there has been a significant decline in the proportion of young employees receiving regular training at work (down from 36% to 31%);

• the proportion of older employees (aged 50 years+) having access to regular training has slightly increased (up from 22 per cent in 2000 to 24 per cent in 2009); and
• a regional/national breakdown of trends in training shows that access to regular training is significantly lower in Northern Ireland (21 per cent) compared to other parts of the UK. The highest levels of training are found in Wales (32 per cent) and the South West region (30 per cent).

The report concludes: 'Access to workplace training remains a pipedream for many employees, especially those in greatest need of improving their skills. The new right to request time to train will be a useful tool to help many more employees get a proper hearing from their employer about their training and development needs and the government has estimated that up to a million workers may get new training opportunities in the next three years as a result.

'Union learning reps will play a vital role supporting workers to enable them to have the confidence to consider using the right to access training at work. This particularly applies to unqualified workers and older employees - only 6 per cent of unqualified workers said they were likely or somewhat likely to use the new right.

'The TUC poll findings also show that there is a real appetite for the new right among employees with over two fifths in total saying that they would consider using it to ask for more training from their employer, including a third of employees who say that they currently receive no training from their employer.'

The TUC has published a guide for trade union reps to give them information on the legislation and to help them prepare a strategy to ensure that their members get fair access to work-related learning and gives tips on how to negotiate with employers.

Trade union representatives will be meeting at the TUC headquarters Congress House, London on 8th April to plan how trade unions can promote the new right. Speakers include Frances O'Grady, TUC Deputy General Secretary, and Tricia Hartley, Chief Executive of Campaign for Learning.

Frances O'Grady said: 'It's vital that employers support workers to acquire learning and skills. The right to request time to train will mean that more workers can propose some training to their employers and we in the trade union movement will support them.'

ends

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• The right will extend to employees working in businesses which employ 250 or more people. Only employees who have worked for 26 weeks will be eligible to make a request under the new right. The right will be extended to cover employees in businesses of all sizes in April 2011.
• Right to Training is on the Right Track can be downloaded from 6pm March 30
• Right to Request Time off for Training: A Guide for Trade Unions and Union Representatives can be obtained on April 8 at www.unionlearn.org.uk/righttorequesttraining

Opinium Research carried out online interviews with 1,151 working UK adults from 5^th-9^th March 2010. Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria.

All unionlearn press releases can be found at www.unionlearn.org.uk

Media enquiries:
Frances Rafferty T: 020 7079 6950 M: 07827 813439 E: frafferty@tuc.org.uk
James Asser T: 020 7079 6942 M: 07769 706104 E: jasser@tuc.org.uk

Press release (1,100 words) issued 5 Apr 2010