Cuts in training budgets across the broadcast industry have not led to a drop in standards, according to a new report.
The Training and Skills Report 2008 by the Broadcast Training and Skills Regulator (BTSR) found the number of employers with specific training budgets for the next 12 months had dropped by 7% from last year, to 70%.
The median training spend per employee also fell to £220, from £300 last year.
But despite these drops, the number of companies rated as high performers rose from 24% in 2006 to 31% in 2008, while the number of poor performing companies dropped from 18% in 2006 to only 4% in 2008.
Peter Block, executive director of BTSR, said: “It’s encouraging to see many broadcasters keeping faith with their training schemes despite tough economic conditions.
“Training plays a key role across the whole business; scrapping training provision is a false economy as the short-term revenue gain pales into insignificance when judged against potential damage to long-term competitiveness.
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“Where budgets are being slimmed down, and external training removed, there will be a greater reliance on in-house skills education. In many cases it will be challenging to ensure line managers, who in the past have been reliant on dedicated teams or third-party staff training, are capable of designing, developing and delivering training themselves.”
In June, Vodafone admitted it had cut its training budget by almost a quarter.
