Byers to speak at conference

This month’s news roundup

• The Rt Hon Stephen Byers MP, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, is to deliver a keynote speech at a conference run by Training and The Industrial Society on 16 March.

The one-day conference, Putting Training at the Heart of Business, is part of the TD2000 campaign organised by Training and The Industrial Society with the aim of enhancing the status of training and development.

Issues will include how to run training like a business, demonstrating the bottom line impact of T&D, and aligning T&D activities with the needs of the business. Speakers include Clive Morton OBE, business development director UK, Anglian Water, Frank Rock, training and development manager, Friends First and evaluation specialist Paul Kearns.

For more information, see page 8, or contact Lisa McGowan at Brintex on 0207-973 6643, or email l.mcgowan@hemming-group.co.uk

• Managers and professionals receive more than twice as much training as clerical and manual workers, according to Cranfield School of Management.

Its latest UK Executive Report finds that managers and professionals receive an average of five days of training per year compared with just two days for manual and clerical workers.

Professor Chris Brewster, co-author of the report, said “At a time when companies are stressing that their customer-facing employees are key for their company’s success, this finding must make us question training investment choices of UK plc.”

• It’s awards season, and Tesco has been named Britain’s Most Admired Company by Management Today. Significantly, the retailer also scooped the special awards for quality of management and ability to attract, develop and retain top talent.

The recently-announced winners of the National Training Awards include Queens Moat House Hotels, Sutcliffe Catering, Budgens Stores, Lloyds TSB Independent Financial Advisers and Glasgow Airport.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett drew particular attention to an initiative devised by Knowsley Community College in partnership with the Army.

“The programme sets out to tackle social exclusion in one of the most disadvantaged areas in the country by providing disaffected young people with a ‘no commitment’ introduction to Army life. Many have obtained extra practical qualifications, and more than 60 per cent of those completing the course have enlisted,” he said.

For news on the very latest award for T&D teams see the feature on page 9.

• The first trade union learning centre to deliver training and development to the heart of Whitehall was opened by Lifelong Learning Minister, Malcolm Wicks last month. The Public and Commercial Services Union Open Learning Centre is supported by a £50,000-grant from the DfEE and £10,000 from Electronic Data Systems Ltd. It will provide Information and Communications (ICT) skills to secretaries, typists, clerical and support staff in Whitehall Departments.