Skills White Paper - TUC response (report)
Summary
The TUC welcomes the opportunity to respond to the new skills White Paper - Skills: Getting on in Business, Getting on at Work, published in March 2005, which builds on the previous White Paper published in 2003 (21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential).
- Many aspects of the skills white paper are welcome, in particular:
- - the recognition of the trade union role in learning and funding for the development of a union academy;
- - commitment to raising the number of trained union learning representatives to 22,000 by 2010;
- - Developing a network of union representatives in the Skills for Business network; and
- - Ensuring that the Trade Union Learning and Modernisation Funds can be used flexibly to strengthen the trade union capacity in training,
- However the TUC has a number of concerns, particularly that its balance is very much skewed to the needs of employers as opposed to the lifelong learning needs of individuals;
- To truly address the country?s skills needs, it is important to ensure the strategy is ?employment led? rather than employer led. This principle should be embedded in the implementation of the skills strategy.
- Further, particularly given the significant levels of funding available to incentivise employer engagement in skills training and that many employers will still not train, the Government should introduce mechanisms to ensure that employers do engage in training, including:
- - The introduction of statutory rights on collective bargaining, paid time off to train and statutory levies in sectors where they are failing to address skills problems.
Introduction
1. The TUC welcomes many aspects of the new White Paper - Skills: Getting on in Business, Getting on at Work, in particular the support for the development of a union learning academy. Much of the white paper builds on the previous White Paper published in 2003 (21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential) and sets out in detail how the Skills Strategy will now be implemented across the whole of England in the coming years, along with some new initiatives. The TUC welcomes the continued policy priority towards the low skilled, but also the increased recognition of the importance of progression routes, and higher-level skills. However the TUC has a number of concerns about the White Paper, particularly that its balance is very much skewed to the needs of employers as opposed to the lifelong learning needs of individuals. Further, the TUC would like to highlight the amount of public funding being spent on incentives to engage employers in skills training, and the need to introduce statutory measures to guarantee that employers do participate in skills development.
The Union role in the Skills Strategy
2. It is very welcome that the White Paper highlights the increasingly important role of trade unions, in particular the Government?s commitment to support the development of a union academy to increase the capacity of unions to help their members recognise the value of learning and to take up training opportunities. This commitment includes extra resources of £1.5 million in 2006-07 and £3 million in 2007-08 to help develop it.
3. It is also very welcome that the White Paper sets out other ways of developing the union role in addressing skills:
- Raising the number of trained union learning representatives to 22,000 by 2010;
- Developing a network of union representatives on Sector Skills Councils in the Skills for Business network so they can share information and good practice and provide mutual support and have maximum impact on Sector Skills Agreements; and
- Ensuring that the Trade Union Learning, Capital and Modernisation Funds can be used flexibly to strengthen the trade union capacity in training.
Skills offer to employers
4. The offer to employers includes a commitment to ?design and deliver publicly funded training and qualifications in a way that is directly led by the needs of employers? but that also ?promotes higher levels of investment and commitment in training by employers.? The two main policy vehicles for achieving these objectives will be via the development of a National Employer Training Programme (NETP) and through the sector skills policy agenda. These two programmes represent a significant amount of public funding, for example the Employer Training Pilots and introduction of the NETP comes to nearly £600 million by 2008 . It is crucial that the Government ensure employers keep their end of the bargain. However many employers still won?t train. The Government should therefore look to mechanisms to ensure that employers boost their commitment to skills development, including statutory arrangements on collective bargaining, paid time off to train and statutory levies in sectors where they are failing to address skills problems.
5. The TUC is concerned about the very strong emphasis given to employers? needs in the design and delivery of training. Meeting demand for skills in the workplace requires engagement with both employers and employees. An ?employer led? system appears to identify the skill needs of employers with the skill needs of the employees. Given that 40% of employers don?t train, and that there are serious market failures in training up to level 2, this is clearly not always the case. Not all employers are well placed to assess skill needs in the workplace, and many are driven by short-term needs, often restricted to immediate job-related tasks. Further, this approach also does not take into account that employer demand for skills does not immediately translate into successful learning outcomes for individuals. The work of trade union learning representatives in supporting people back into learning demonstrates the importance of taking into account the wider learning needs of individual employees.
6. The TUC believes that to truly address the country?s skills needs, it is important to ensure the strategy is ?employment led? rather than employer led. This principle should be embedded in the implementation of the skills strategy.
Social Partnership
7. It is welcome that the White Paper endorses the important role played by the Skills Alliance to date and confirms that this partnership will continue to lead the national agenda on skills.
8. The White Paper highlights the importance of developing the partnerships that have been established to support the implementation of the Skills Strategy, especially by further developing the role of the Regional Skills Partnerships so that they will be able to support the rollout of NETP and other initiatives. The TUC has been concerned that many of the RSPs have not had sufficient demand side representation and do not give a central role to trade unions as is the case with the national Skills Alliance. The TUC also believes that there is a strong case for increasing union representation on the RDA and LSCs in every region if a genuinely strengthened partnership approach is going to be developed over the longer term.
National Employer Training Programme
9. The White Paper sets out in some detail plans for a National Employer Training Programme, which the TUC broadly supports. This builds on the Employer Training Pilots, and like the pilots will offer free training and paid time off for any employee without a Level 2 qualification. Trade unions, supported by TUC Learning Services, have done much to raise awareness of the offer, prioritise Skills for Life and help broker provision. The TUC continues to support this policy direction, however believes that without the introduction of statutory measures, such as paid time off, it will prove very difficult for the Government to achieve the 2010 target for a 40% reduction in the number of adults without a full level 2 qualification.
10. A recent TUC survey (Appendix 1) shows that the top two reasons for employees not taking up training suggests that the UK needs a new ?work-learn? balance, with just under one in three (29 per cent) saying that they don?t have time because they have to look after children or have other caring responsibilities. The same proportion (29 per cent) say that their current job has such long hours or is so stressful that they do not have the time or energy to take up a course. This evidence clearly supports the need for statutory rights to paid time off, particularly for those without a level 2 qualification.
11. The White Paper also sets out that it is intended that NETP will take the Employer Training Pilots a stage further by establishing a network of brokers who will work with employers to identify all their business and related training needs and help source training for all these needs. The role of brokerage will be key in the National Employer Training Programme. The White Paper states that brokers will be trained to give comprehensive advice to employers. The TUC believes that quality approved training linked to standards will be very important to secure informed and impartial advice that has the confidence of the employee as well as the employer.
12. The TUC is concerned that the White Paper is not clear about how the NETP will take into account the needs of employees. It is crucial to ensure the development of a high quality brokerage service that works cooperatively with trade unions and learning representatives. A union academy can help this through its centres in the regions.
13. The TUC recommends that the brokerage service be required to assess employee needs, for example through training needs analysis, and that where there are recognised Union Learning Representatives, the brokerage service is required to engage them in the process.
14. Another new initiative is a greater focus in NETP on subsidising employers to support employees to achieve a Level 3 qualification where there is evidence of market failure. The White Paper makes a commitment to two regional pilots with a match funding arrangements, which the TUC welcomes. The White Paper also makes the commitment that adults eligible for the level 2 entitlement may be able to seek level 3 qualifications. While the TUC supports this approach in principle, it is essential that learners that follow this approach receive appropriate support for underpinning functional skills, including Skills for Life if required.
15. The White Paper also notes that brokers will have the responsibility to get the best deal for employers, under the notion of ?contestability?. The TUC is concerned to ensure that this approach does not result in the downgrading of the college system, which plays both an important social and economic role. It is crucial that colleges have a level playing field and receive sufficient funding to ensure they have the capacity to offer high quality training.
Sector Skills Agreements
16. The White Paper highlights the key role of the network of Sector Skills Councils and especially the new Sector Skills Agreements that are gradually coming into place. Sector Skills Councils are being given a key role in many aspects of the skills strategy and 14-19 reforms. As well as leading on the design for lines of learning in the new vocational diplomas outlined in the Education and Skills White Paper, SSCs also have lead responsibility for the design of Apprenticeship frameworks, designing occupational standards for adults, working with the higher education sector including being consulted on additional university places, as well as having a key role in Regional Skills Partnerships (RSPs). The TUC is concerned to ensure that these developments do not result in a narrow approach to curriculum development at the expense of broader educational objectives.
17. It is welcome that the trade union contribution to Sector Skills Councils and Sector Skills Agreements is recognised in the White Paper. However the TUC is concerned that trade unions are given a central role in the work of Sector Skills Councils, which should be employment led not ?employer led?.. SSCs will play a key role in driving up demand for skills, and therefore it is crucial that employees as well as employers have a collective voice in articulating this demand. The TUC believes that the capacity for SSCs to deliver would be increased if the Government required SSCs to be ?employment? led, and the TUC calls on the Government to implement this change. Further, the Government should require that SSCs introduce more balanced representation between employers and trade unions on SSC boards. One of the functions of a union academy will be to support union members on SSCs (and LSCs/RSPs) and commission research to strengthen an employee dimension to Sector Skills Agreements.
18. The White Paper includes a number of measures to assess the progress of the Skills for Business Network, which includes that ?10% more private and public service organisations will have introduced higher performance working practices?. The TUC welcomes this inclusion, as some sectors are currently locked in a ?low skills equilibrium?. The TUC would like this measure to be monitored carefully and higher goals set in the coming years. The TUC submission to the Leitch Review on Skills (attached) considers this area in detail.
19. The White Paper also outlines a requirement for SSCs to develop an action plan for meeting the sector?s needs, while also securing greater equality of opportunity in the labour market.The White Paper gives a commitment that all Sector Skills Agreements ?will include an assessment of equality and diversity in the sector?. The TUC welcomes these developments, however would like to see the commitment strengthened to ensure that action plans and Sector Skills Agreements include efforts to overcome barriers to equality of opportunity. Consideration could be given to linking equality initiatives to the availability of public funding. The focus must not only be on initiatives to encourage people into non-traditional areas, but also around structural and institutional barriers in relation to employers and training providers. These might include initiatives with employers to combat discrimination, develop supportive workplace cultures, and promote the business case for a more diverse workforce.
Sector Levies
20. The Government should introduce statutory levies in sectors where it is evident they are failing to address skills problems. The Government should also keep open the option of a compulsory training levy under review and to implement a levy if the current voluntary approach is not successful.
21. In order to sustain a skills base in an industry with many small companies with limited training capacity, the CITB levy/grant system has continued over many decades through employer and union support. Under the system, all employers (with the exception of very small enterprises) pay a training levy which is then disbursed to those employers who train. It is the smaller firms that train the most new entrants and receive most of the grant allocation (including the very small ones who do not pay a levy). The larger companies benefit however from the skills of the trained workers paid through the levy that they recruit later in their career. Without such a levy system, small firms would not be able to train operatives to the required occupational standards which would result in major skills shortages throughout the industry. There are a number of other sectors (e.g. print) where there are endemic market failures leading to serious skills shortages and where there has been a dialogue between unions and employers on the possible introduction of a statutory levy.
22. In the film industry, Skillset - the SSC - currently operates a Skills Investment Fund. It is a voluntary film production levy which has raised £3 million since its inception in 1999. The problem has been that only two thirds of employers have participated. This means that those who do contribute are subsiding training initiatives and trainees that benefit 'free-loading' productions that do not pay the levy. This has led to an overwhelming demand from the industry for a mandatory training levy. The Government is now consulting with employers and unions on the establishment of a new Industry Training Board for film with the power to raise a training levy.
Skills Academies
23. The White Paper contains a commitment to create a new network of Skills Academies to cover each major sector of the economy in order to boost the supply of vocational training and to engage more employers in this agenda. The TUC is concerned about the proposed model of Skills Academies, which appears to give employer carte blanche to develop skills academies that will attract public funding.
24. The TUC is concerned that this model of skills academies will result in a fragmented approach where the interests of employers are paramount, without proper consideration of the needs of learners.
Offer to Adults
25. The focus in the White Paper is very much on developing a ?clear, attractive ladder of progression? for all adults by boosting learning opportunities in the workplace and through a range of other initiatives.
26. It is very welcome that the White Paper reaffirms the importance of adult learning and how demographic shifts such as a reduced flow of young people into the labour market make adult learning a growing area for meeting both economic and social goals. The recognition of the importance of progression routes up to higher-level skills, at the same time as expanding on measures to address market failures particularly up to levels 2 and 3 are also very welcome. The ?climbing frame? of a union academy will give employees much greater support in progressing through learning routes. The TUC supports these developments, although there are a number of issues that need to be highlighted.
27. However the TUC is concerned over cuts to funding in adult education. The TUC calls on the Government to ensure that funding is expanded to meet both the demands created through the skill strategy and to maintain other forms of adult learning. This should also include funding for online-learning hubs.
Skills For Life
28. The TUC welcomes the commitment from the Government to building on and strengthening the Skills for Life programme, including ICT, for all eligible adults. The White Paper sets out an ambition that more adults gain functional literacy, language and numeracy skills at level 2 standard, which over time will be embedded in level 2 vocational training. The TUC has supported embedding Skills for Life in NVQs and therefore supports this principle. However experience tells us that there is a lot to do to build capacity in delivery, and to ensure consistent quality.
Level 2 Entitlement
29. The TUC welcomes the extension across England of the ?Level 2 entitlement? currently being trialled in two regions, which entitles eligible adults to free tuition to achieve a level 2 qualification by learning at a college or training provider in their own time. This will be nationally available by 2006/2007. TUC comments about accessing level 2 via the NETP are at paragraph 9.
30. The TUC is concerned that the focus on a ?first? level 2 means that there are many people who would benefit from this entitlement but are ineligible. This particularly applies to older workers, who may have achieved a level 2 equivalent many years before but the qualification no longer has currency in the labour market. However the qualification would still render them ineligible for the level 2 entitlement. Women returns are another group who may be disadvantaged by this limitation. The TUC recommends that sufficient flexibilities be built into the system to take into account the needs of learners whose prior level 2 qualifications no longer have currency in the labour market.
31. The TUC believes there ought to be an obligation that in all circumstances employees receive the appropriate free independent and impartial advice and guidance. This should involve a trained Union Learning Rep where available in addition to IAG professionals to ensure that they are aware of the options available and their implications. Further that there should be further investigation on the inter relation of the NEPT and the Level 2 entitlement with a view to ensuring fairness to individual learners is built into the system.
Level 3 and higher level skills
32. The TUC supports the objective that ?a major priority of this White Paper is to strengthen support for many more people to achieve a level 3 qualification?. This is welcome as many of the nation?s skills gaps, that are the result of market failure, occur at level 3. In most of the training to level 3 we would expect employers to make a significant contribution. Our concerns over the need for support in underpinning functional skills for learners were noted at paragraph 14.
33. The Regional Skills Partnerships are to play a critical role in identifying the regional priorities for developing skills at level 3 and it is imperative that they prove to be robust social partnerships that reflect both employee and employer demand for skills at this level.
34. The White Paper notes the importance of higher-level skills, and the TUC welcomes measures to address this, for example expanding the number of people studying for Foundation Degrees. It is a welcome development from the 2003 White Paper that the role and contribution of HE to the skills strategy is included.
35. The TUC would like to see more work on overcoming the barriers to continuing professional development. For example at higher skill levels, there are particular challenges in broadening the skills base of individuals and not simply channelling them into enhancing their existing knowledge base. Union learning representatives are well placed to provide help with continuing professional development.
Widening Participation
36. It is welcome that the Government commits to continue to safeguard learning for personal and community development. It is important that the Government has recognised that personal development not related to purely vocational training can be a useful hook into learning for adults. This is reflected in the support for First Step Learning. This is a particularly important issue for unions in the development of a union academy which will support unions to access opportunities to extend their members personal development. The reference to First Step Learning is very welcome, but we are concerned to ensure that this is not undermined by other priorities. TUC concerns around funding cuts to adult learning were highlighted in paragraph 27.
Apprenticeships
37. The Government is quite rightly determined to make the Apprenticeship programme the main vocational pathway available to school leavers who are not immediately considering progressing to full-time further or higher education. The TUC supports this approach but there remains problems with Apprenticeship programmes, especially the high drop-out and non-completion rates and the fact that it does not yet have the universal respect among young people, teachers and parents compared to apprenticeships in many other European countries. The TUC is also concerned about variable quality of Apprenticeship programmes and low pay in some sectors. It is therefore imperative that the Government continues to maintain a focus on driving up national standards and creating high-quality Apprenticeships, with Government leading by example as an employer. The TUC has also called for a review of the exemption of apprentices from the National Minimum Wage.
38. In their recently published General Formal Investigation (GFI) into Apprenticeships and occupational segregation, the Equal Opportunities Commission highlighted the significant gender segregation in Apprenticeships, which has negative implications for both equity and the economy. It is welcome that White Paper commits to challenging stereotyping in Apprenticeships, however it is disappointing that it does not set out measures to tackle the problem. There are a number of measures that the TUC supports to achieve this, including through procurement policy (paragraph 43) and sector skills agreements (paragraph19).
39. The Learning and Skills Council should provide clearer information on the numbers of males and females who are starting and completing Apprenticeships, the pay that they receive during the apprenticeship period, and where possible, if they go on to paid work as a result of their Apprenticeship. The same information should also be collected as appropriate for other equality groups, including people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. This information should be used to promote equality objectives. For example using this information effectively, the Government would be able to measure the extent to which males and females were clustering in particular sectors.
40. In turn, it could help to establish targets and equality ?benchmarks? or indicators to tackle occupational segregation as recommended by the Equal Opportunities Commission in their recent GFI mentioned above. The TUC strongly believes that this action is necessary because it is clear that, on current trends, males and females are not fulfilling their potential according to their skills, but rather according to the expectations of their gender. This perpetual segregation is creating opportunity gaps for both men and women that have ramifications throughout their working lives and into retirement.
41. The TUC welcomes the continued commitment to adult apprenticeships outlined in the White Paper, however remains concerned at the fact that sustained funding for adult apprenticeships has not been forthcoming.
Equality
42. It is welcome that the White Paper recognises the role of equality in skills, in particular by the particular barriers faced by offenders, older people, women, Black and minority ethnic groups and disabled people. This is addressed in much more detail than in the 2003 White Paper. However while this is a welcome development, in many cases there is a lack of proposals, for example gender segregation in Apprenticeships is noted, however without setting out measures to tackle the problem.
43. The White Paper does make specific reference to the Women and Work Commission, as well as personal guidance for women returners; commitment to working with the DWP towards implementation of recommendations from the National Employment Panel about the obstacles faced by ethnic minority groups in gaining fair access to employment; and several measures to meeting the needs of disabled learners. Work on improving the quality of education and training to offenders, including widening access to include level 2 training and beyond are welcome. The TUC looks forward to action on implementation of these projects.
Procurement
44. The TUC welcomes the commitment in the White Paper to work with the Office of Government Commerce to extend guidance for Government departments on how they should incorporate requirements for basic literacy, language and numeracy skills, to higher-level skills. The TUC would like this to be extended to specifically include Apprenticeships, as well as equality objectives.
45. Public money can be spent in such a way that achieves value for the taxpayer but also promotes goals in terms of inclusion, equality and access to training. There is significant potential for this to occur at national level, but also at local and regional level through local authorities. Procurement can be used in support of training, recruitment and work based learning if this can be demonstrated to be relevant to the contract. Since many contracts cannot be delivered without highly skilled workers, this can be easily demonstrated . It can also be used to promote equality and diversity policies carried out through the process of recruitment and training. Apprenticeships are a useful mechanism for achieving government policy goals in terms of workforce development and diversity. The use of the procurement route would provide a means for overcoming the lack of voluntary engagement in these areas by some employers. Indeed, many good employers bidding for public sector contracts report that they wish to train their employees but fear being undercut on price by poor employers if they do.
Information, Advice & Guidance (IAG)
46. The TUC believes it is important that effective IAG is available to all learners, and the TUC welcomes the goal of a ?universally available, highly respected and well used service offering linked information on jobs, qualifications, training and related services such as childcare?. The commitments in the White Paper to improving and extending Information, Advice and Guidance services now being delivered via learndirect and partnerships at local LSC level are also welcome.
47. However, whilst welcoming the targeting of guidance services for people with basic skills needs, people without an NVQ level 2 or equivalent and young adults up to age 30 not in higher education, the range of groups identified is somewhat limited. This has important implications for equality. Other groups of learners may need guidance, for example people from different ethnic groups and people who have been out of employment for longer periods of time, regardless of the level of qualification they have reached. The TUC would like to see the target groups expanded to other groups of learners that may have a particular need for effective IAG to ensure equality of opportunity. Particular attention should be paid to inequality on the grounds of gender, race, age, disability and sexuality. Further, the issue of multiple disadvantage should also be addressed, as membership of more than one equality group will exacerbate inequality.
48. Union learning representatives and the development of a union academy are important in providing information and advice, and the evolution of IAG services needs to take this into account.
49. The TUC welcomes the commitment to ensuring that IAG ?is based on the individual?s needs rather than stereotypes based on gender or background. However there is a need to ensure that this is carried out in practice, and that sufficient funding is available to achieve these goals. For example IAG advisers require high quality training in providing high quality advice and guidance and challenging stereotypes.
Supply Side Issues
50. The welcome focus in the White Paper on raising the demand for skills from both employers and employees is balanced out by a range of measures designed to improve the supply side. Much of the thrust of this approach builds on the ongoing reforms being delivered via the Success for All programme, which was launched in November 2002 with the aim of raising overall quality and effectiveness in colleges and training providers. Preparing for the National Employer Training Programme will place particular pressures on colleges.
51. The TUC and affiliated unions representing the workforce based in further education have been broadly supportive of the Success for All reform programme. However, it is essential that the Government works in partnership with the trade unions in the sector when drawing up and implementing these reforms. Furthermore, an essential underpinning for moving forward on these reforms will be the need to develop a highly motivated workforce that has parity of esteem with professionals in other education sectors.
52. There is a critical need to develop and promote a new vision for the FE sector that will highlight its crucial role in delivering on both the economic and social justice agendas in all our communities. And it is also essential that there is political buy-in for such a vision across all government departments and that funding is made available to translate the new vision into reality on the ground.
53. The FE sector is currently being pulled in a number of directions by differing political priorities. In particular there are the pressures to deliver key elements of the skills strategy, to increase the focus on addressing employer needs and work with schools to meet government plans for 14-19 education. There is no adequate funding to meet all three needs. The FE sector continues to be the ?poor relation? when it comes to its share of the DfES Budget and matters have been made worse by the fact that colleges have been a victim of their own success by recruiting many more of the Skills Strategy priority groups (eg 16-18-year-olds and adults without a Level 2 qualification) over the past year.
54. FE is driven by targets which pay too little attention to the context in which FE Colleges work and which do not recognise the wider outcomes of FE: for example tackling prejudice and race discrimination, promoting social cohesion and encouraging citizenship and a sense of community among the disadvantaged. This broader concept of Public Value should underpin the role of FE, and more funding should be made available.
Collective Bargaining
55. The TUC welcomes the recognition in the White Paper that ULRs have worked with employers in establishing learning agreements to tackle both organisational and individual skill needs. However the TUC is disappointed that the recognition in the 2003 White Paper of the significant role that collective bargaining plays in the workplace to raise skill levels at all levels is missing. The TUC in its submission to the DTI on this issue argues that the demand for skills could be significantly increased by training being made a core issue for negotiation in recognised workplaces before statutory recognition has been awarded (attached).
56. Further, the TUC is concerned that the White Paper fails to address the benefits of establishing collective rights to negotiate training and the degree to which the 'skills gap' between the UK and other European economies is explained by the integral role of training in collective bargaining in these countries. For example, recent OECD research has shown that where collective bargaining is highly coordinated and workers have decent employment rights, this tends to generate productivity gains in the high tech sector (quoted in Towards Full Employment in the European Union, Treasury et al, 2002).
57. There are good examples that Union Learning Reps (ULRs) are seeing the benefits of adopting a more collective approach to training and development by integrating union learning activities with wider workforce development strategies.
58. The TUC has also made submissions to the DTI around barriers to ULRs performing their role, arising out of the Warwick agreement. Research shows that 11 per cent of ULRs have difficulty accessing paid time off to attend training, and that 25 per cent have difficulty accessing time off to conduct their duties. The TUC is writing to the DTI requesting that the review of facilities time includes ULRs.
New Deal for Skills
59. The TUC has welcomed the New Deal for Skills, with its aim to overcome skills gaps as a barrier to sustained employment. Many low skilled people are trapped in a low pay/no pay cycle, as 25% of those who leave Jobseeker?s Allowance to move into work return to benefits within 3 months, and almost 40% return within six months. The New Deal for Skills is an important policy development given that high proportions of those not in the labour market have few or no qualifications, for example one third of the 5 million people of working age receiving benefits have Skills for Life needs.
60. The TUC welcomes the trials of a skills coaching service, which will provide on-to-one service for low-skilled benefit claimants. It is important that those trials consider the role of union learning representatives, who can help support people who have moved into employment. The TUC also supports the trials of Skills Passports, which will set out an individual?s learning entitlement to training and related support, and progress in achieving relevant skills.
61. The trial of the Learning Option, which will give benefit claimants an additional £10 a week on top of benefits for those who take up their entitlements to free tuition, is also welcome. This incentive is conditional upon signing a Learning Agreement with the Jobcentre Plus Personal Adviser, and on active participation in the chosen learning following advice from Information and Advice Services. In developing a system where the right to support has responsibilities attached, it is important that individual circumstances are taken into account. Therefore there is nothing wrong in principle with the requirement of an activity agreement, but a lot will depend on how it is operated.
62. Agreements need to take into account an individual?s circumstances (for example, whether they are parents, carers or leaving care) and any activities included in the agreement should take these circumstances into account. The particular needs of women, people from ethnic minorities, people with disabilities or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people should be taken into account, especially where people fall into more than one of these categories.
63. Since April 2004, Jobcentre Plus has been screening all Jobseekers Claimants to establish whether they have any language, literacy or numeracy skills gaps. Where the screening process identifies a potential basic skills need, they are referred for independent initial assessment. There is a financial incentive of £10 on top of any training allowance available for those who take up Jobcentre Plus basic skills provision. The TUC is concerned that Jobcentre Plus is also testing sanctions where jobseekers identified with a basic skills need have been unwilling to take up and complete training. There is no evidence that such a model would succeed, and reasons to doubt the success of this an approach in educational terms.
New Adult Learning Grants
64. The TUC supports the strengthening of financial support for adults studying for their first Level 2 or Level 3 qualification in FE colleges via the new Adult Learning Grant, and the commitment that, subject to evaluation of the trials, the Adult Learning Grant will be introduced across England by 2008-09.
Conclusion
- 65. The TUC welcomes many aspects of the new White Paper in particular the support for the development of a union learning academy. However the TUC has a number of concerns about the White Paper, particularly that is balance is very much skewed to the needs of employers as opposed to the lifelong learning needs of individuals. The TUC believes that to truly address the country?s skills needs, it is important to ensure the strategy is ?employment led? rather than employer led. This principle should be embedded in the implementation of the skills strategy.
- 66. Particularly given the significant levels of funding available to incentivise employer engagement in skills training, and that many employers will still not train, the Government should introduce mechanisms to ensure that employers contribute, including:
- - The introduction of statutory rights on collective bargaining, paid time off to train and statutory levies in sectors where they are failing to address skills problems.
Appendix 2
TUC Training at Work Survey
Summary of Major Findings
Methodology
The TUC commissioned British Market Research Bureau to carry out opinion research on individual attitudes to training as part of an omnibus survey. It took the form of a telephone survey of 1,000 adults aged 16+ between 24-27.05.05. The survey questions are set out below.
Demand for Learning
There is considerable satisfaction with the amount of training employees get at work (three quarters are happy with the amount)
Nevertheless, over half of employees would like their employer to train them in new skills that would help them get promoted or a better job (52%).
This demand for skills is not however confined to training at work. Over two in five (42%) would like to do some training or education outside work that would help them get a better job.
Employers need not fear that offering such learning opportunities would lead to their workers wanting to leave for better jobs and thus not getting a return in their investment. Only one in five (21%) stated that their main interest in training was that it would help them change their employer.
These views however vary considerably across the age range. The older the worker the more satisfied he/she is with the training they get (81% of 55-64 year olds/73% of 16-24 year olds). The propensity to want to train in new skills is much more marked in the younger age group compared to older workers (70% of16-24 year olds/ 39% of 45-54 year olds/19% of 55-64 year olds). Older workers are also less likely to want to train in order to change their employer (11% of 45-54 year olds compared to 32% of 25-34 year olds).
The desire to learn new skills is not determined by class. For example, half of semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers (DEs) would like their employer to train them in new skills to help them get promoted or get a better job and almost a third of them (31%) want it to help change their employer. This demand for new skills is higher than for managerial/professional (47% ABs); only 18% of which want the training to help change their employer. The greatest demand however comes from those in supervisory/junior management positions (60% C1s). The largest demand for learning outside work to help get a better job comes from unskilled and semi-skilled manual workers (47% DEs compared to 37% ABs). Many of these workers will have low or no qualifications, with the Government providing them with incentives through entitlements to free tuition up to basic skills and level 2 qualifications.
Barriers to Learning
There are a number or reasons why employees stopped taking up some new training or education in the last three years. Most of the reasons are time or funding related.
As many as 29% of employees were working such long hours or had so stressful a workload that they did not have the time to take up a course. This was most marked for those in full-time work (35% compared to 16% of part-time workers). This ' work-learn' balance was more of a problem for workers in large workplaces with more than 250 employees (37%) as opposed to small ones with less than 50 employees (24%).
Another barrier was lack of time to study because of dependants such as children to look after outside working time. As many as 29% of employees had this problem. It was a major barrier to learning middle aged women in low skilled, part-time jobs in large workplaces. As many as 42% of women did not have the time to learn. It was the greatest problem for workers in the 35-44 year age group (46%) and those in the lowest in unskilled manual jobs (32% DEs compared to 24% ABs).
Money as well as time was also an issue. Over a fifth (21%) could not afford a course that they would like to do. This was much more of a problem for low skilled manual workers (25% DEs) compared to those in managerial/professional jobs (2% ABs). Funding was more of a problem for women (25%) than for men (18%).
Some employees did not see learning as a high priority, with 27% saying that they 'had not got around to it'. This was particularly marked for those in low skilled jobs (41% DEs compared to 19% ABs). It also might be partly related to a lack of knowledge as to where to look for a suitable course (25% DEs compared to 2% ABs).
Access to Learning
Almost two thirds of employees (66%) felt that it would be useful if their employer gave them more training in work time and this demand was high throughout all the age groups except for 55-64 year olds where it fell sharply (38%). It was highest from supervisory/junior management grades (69% C1s), followed by low skilled workers (63% DEs). It was also highest amongst full-time (65%) as opposed to part-time (58%) workers and much more prevalent from those in large workplaces (72%) than small ones (57%).
A major issue is how this should be done. There is a very high demand for paid time off from work to train. Over three - quarters (77%) of employees wanted such provision without losing pay. This demand was more prevalent in the age groups 16-44 (over 85%) compared to the age group 55-65 (56%). It was however high across all social grades. The demand however was greater from those employees working in large workplaces (82%) than in small ones (76%).
Understandably, there was less interest in time off from work if it meant losing some pay. Nevertheless, about a third (32%) would find it useful. As with the demand for paid time off, the younger the age group and the larger the workplace the greater the demand. Those in part-time employment would find it more useful (37%) than full-time workers (30%). Interestingly, there was not a correlation between such demand and occupational status. The group that would find it the most useful was the semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers(34%).
A high proportion of employees (42%) felt that more time off for study could be facilitated by employers not expecting them to work overtime, whether paid or unpaid. Almost half of young workers (48% 16-24) were of this view, which was only shared by a quarter of older workers (26% 55-64). It was those in supervisory and junior managerial jobs (48% C1s) who most held this view on overtime, as opposed to skilled manual (33% C2s). There was also a significant difference between full-time (44%) and part-time workers (37%), perhaps because of the lower incidence of overtime worked by the latter.
A relatively high proportion of workers would find it useful to have child care whilst they studied (29% women/16% men). This was particularly a need for the younger age groups ( 35% 25-34 /29% 35- 44). This demand was highest amongst supervisory and junior managerial workers (27% C1s). Twice as many part-time (34%) than full-time workers (17%) would find child care useful whilst they studied.
As many as 28% of workers would find it useful if they had more support from their spouse. This was particularly true for female workers (33%) and for semi and unskilled manual workers (36% DEs) - the 'Educating Rita' effect. It was also seen as more useful by part-time (33%) than full- time employees (25%).
There has been a large increase in the number of trained Union Learning Representatives in recent years. Their statutory functions include providing support and advice on learning to colleagues. There is clearly a considerable demand for this type of person. Three in five felt that it would be useful to have access to help and advice from a colleague with special knowledge of what training is available. Almost twice the proportion of younger workers thought it would be most useful (74% 16-24) than older workers (38% 55-64). It was those in supervisory/junior management grades that thought it would be the most useful (69% C1s), followed by semi- and unskilled manual workers (63% DEs).
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