This is right to ask, not right to train

Oct 7 2008 by Liz Mayes, The Journal

LAST month, ministers introduced proposals for voluntary rights for employees to request time off to train. The CBI welcomed this, as compelling employers to train staff irrespective of circumstances would be unnecessary and counterproductive.

Business recognises the need to raise the skills of the UK workforce to sustain international competitiveness and it already invests in training.

Employers invest £39bn a year in training their employees. And employers are strongly committed to training – the CBI/Pertemps Employment Trends Survey 2008 found 98% of firms had provided staff with training in the past 12 months.

Most employers regularly discuss skills and training needs with their employees and the proposals should build on this good practice.

The success of this good practice is that it is based on a discussion between employers and employees about what training and development will be most productive for both parties – CBI members remain firmly opposed to compulsory training which would be ineffective in raising skills levels.

Employers have worked hard to make the right to request flexible working a success, and the successful procedures for dealing with this right must be mirrored under the current proposals – although the reasons for declining a request will be different.

Above all it must be made clear that this is a right to request and not a right to have training. As with the right to request flexible working, employers must be able to indicate why they have turned down a request without an employee having the right to challenge the reasons for refusal in an employment tribunal.

Of course, reasons for refusing requests will be related to skills needs; crucially, any training requested by employees must have business relevance.

The Government must draw up an appropriate list of reasons businesses can give for turning down requests, and ensure the proposals are part of a wider package of skills reforms.

The Government’s aim should be to create a system that delivers the economically valuable skills business requires – with employer needs the central driver in a demand-led system and a strong supply-side offer to employers, with business-relevant qualifications and high quality training providers providing flexible and responsive services.

Steps to simplify the employer “journey” through the skills system and deliver a demand-led approach to skills funding are welcome, but there is considerable work to do.

Liz Mayes is assistant regional director, CBI North East