Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Latest NewsEconomics, government & businessSector Skills CouncilsSkills shortages

Employers groups stunned by demise of Learning and Skills Council

by Gareth Vorster 24 Mar 2008
by Gareth Vorster 24 Mar 2008

Employer groups have expressed “utter amazement” at the government’s decision to close the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), its chief skills funding vehicle.

The government last week announced that the LSC, which has an annual budget exceeding £11bn and is responsible for the flagship Train to Gain initiative, will be closed down by 2010, as previously revealed by Personnel Today.

A new Skills Funding Agency for adults will get £4bn to distribute to workplace training providers as well as manage the performance of further education colleges.

Meanwhile, local authorities will get £7bn to help colleges and sixth forms deliver the reforms needed to improve skills and training when leaving age rises to 18.

David Frost, general director of the British Chambers of Commerce, said a constant change in agencies has held back the development of much-needed vocational qualifications.

“We have seen little progress in vocational qualifications because of a constant reshuffling of deck chairs,” he said.

“The LSC alone has been through three major changes since its inception in 2001, and the business community sits back in utter amazement, bemused by government’s latest announcement. It should be getting on with the job.”

The LSC also came in for a barrage of criticism as its fate was announced.

One industry insider told Personnel Today: “Its [closure] was inevitable. It’s always been difficult working with the LSC, we always found it a struggle.”

A Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) survey of about 1,000 of its members last year found that half wanted Train to Gain to operate with less bureaucracy.

Sarah van der Heyden, policy adviser at the CIPD, said: “We welcome and encourage any improvements to a system that serves the requirements of our members.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“Employers will only invest in training if there is a clear business case to do so. There was a mixed response from our members about the quality of training given by the government’s skills agencies.”

Secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills John Denham, said the smaller new Skills Funding Agency would ensure that government funding responded to employer and adult skills needs.




Gareth Vorster

previous post
Fortnum & Mason appoints Asperity to re-launch staff voluntary benefits
next post
Public sector must make more of its successes

You may also like

Government publishes ‘roadmap’ for Employment Rights Bill

1 Jul 2025

Ethnicity and disability pay gaps: Ready to report?...

1 Jul 2025

Government moves swiftly on immigration reform

1 Jul 2025

One in eight senior NHS managers from black...

1 Jul 2025

Government launches ‘landmark’ review of parental leave

1 Jul 2025

Clarks cuts 1,200 jobs after ‘year of transition’

1 Jul 2025

How HR can support families with adoption

1 Jul 2025

Co-op equal pay claims move onto next stage

30 Jun 2025

‘Be direct’ to avoid escalating conflict, advises Acas

30 Jun 2025

Reforming paternity leave could benefit UK by £13bn...

30 Jun 2025

  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+