• An Internet learning boom will take place this year, research has predicted. A survey of trainers by Hewlett-Packard Education found that 52 per cent of organisations do not use Internet training. But 82 per cent of respondents claimed they would change their IT strategy for learning in 2000. And 50 per cent of companies using the Internet for training spend less than 10 per cent of their budget on this area, with no companies spending more than 20 per cent, according to the report. HP Education found that six out of 10 people have used the Internet as a medium to receive training at least once and from those questioned most found the service useful. But 27 per cent said the courses are impersonal and 30 per cent felt that improvements could be made.
Women’s skills body celebrates 10th year
• An organisation dedicated to training women to become employees of choice is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Springboard delivers a worldwide Women’s Development Programme through a network of trainers dedicated to giving women the skills essential for the modern workplace. The anniversary was celebrated last weekend (9-11 June) with a three-day conference at the Cable and Wireless College near Coventry, attended by Her Excellency Cheryl Carolus, South African High Commissioner to the UK and Sheila McKechnie, MD of the Consumers Association.
LSCs to pick up equality baton from Tecs
• The goal of developing greater equality and inclusion, championed by the training and enterprise councils, will set the agenda for the Learning and Skills Councils which replace them next year. This was the message of a conference on the transition from Tecs to LSCs, held last week in Canary Wharf, London. Jacqui Henderson, chief executive of the Tecs National Council, said, “Tecs have been at the forefront in delivering local equality strategies and we now look forward to a new era where equality is mainstreamed in all government-funded opportunities for people to learn and develop their skills.”
