North East training spend soars

May 14 2008 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette

COMPANIES in the Tees Valley have contributed to the North East spending more than £2bn on training - up 44% from 2005, the highest percentage increase in England, according to findings from the National Employer Skills Survey 2007.

The region scored highly in key areas when it comes to nurturing the skills and development of employees.

Figures reveal the region takes on the highest number of 16 to 24-year-old apprentices in relation to its overall workforce, with 11 apprentices per 1,000 staff.

Seventy per cent of employers were most likely to train their staff, while employers in the North-east are also in the top three when it comes to the number of days training provided for employees at 13 days per head.

Training spend per employee was the second highest in the country at £2,000, with most likely to train through further education, train towards nationally recognised qualifications and towards National Vocational Qualifications. Between August 2007 and February 2008, 1,030 employers have involved staff in training through Train to Gain.

The national survey was among 79,000 employers.

Chris Roberts, regional director for the Learning and Skills Council North East, said: “It is clear that there is awareness of the benefits of a better skilled society – especially in the face of rising competition from international countries – as employers are committing more money and time towards training.”