22 Million to be Able to Request Training
Up to 22 million UK workers are to benefit from government legislation giving them the right to request training. If the legislation passes through Parliament, employees who have worked for their employer for at least 26 weeks will be given the right by 2010.
Employers will be able to make funding applications through the Government-run Train to Gain scheme, which will provide over £1 billion a year to businesses from 2010.
Said John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS):
"We have still not persuaded every employer of the importance of skills. We need to find new ways to bring the drive for skills into every workplace and to every worker which is why we are consulting on a new right for workers to request time to train."
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) cautiously welcomed the proposal but warned that employers must be able to decline requests that do not meet business needs. John McGurk, CIPD Skills Adviser, said:
“We welcome the proposal to introduce a ‘right to request’ time off for training. However, it is important that we do not lose sight of the fact that training is a two-way street. It is of benefit to the learner, but must also contribute to meeting the business needs of the employer. If this test is not met, the employer must be able to decline requests for training.”
