Time to Train Consultation

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) are consulting on proposals to give employees in England a legal right to ask their employer for time to undertake the training they need to be more effective and productive at work.  The consultation will run until 10 September and DIUS is keen to hear from everyone with an interest in how the new right to request time to train is taken forward.  Full details of the proposals, together with the consultation response form, can be found at www.dius.gov.uk/consultations

Article
Government Consults on a New Right at Work

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) has launched a consultation on a new right at work: the right to ask for time to train. 

The consultation seeks views on proposals to give employees in England a legal right to a serious conversation with their employer about their skills development.  Under the proposals employees can request time to undertake formal training that leads to a qualification, or for informal unaccredited training that will help them to develop a specific skill relevant to their job. In both cases, the only requirement would be that training should help improve business performance and productivity.

Despite real progress over the last decade, supported by significant investment from both Government and employers, latest figures show that too many adults still struggle with low or out-of-date skills; one third of employers do not train their staff; and 8m employees in England go without training every year.  The Government argues that we must tackle these challenges head on if we want to secure a prosperous future for our economy, and a just one for our society.   

The Government believes time to train will be an important catalyst in driving up the nation's skills.  It will give employees the opportunity to rise as far as their talents will take them, to improve their lives and those of their families.  And by helping to raise their employees’ awareness and aspirations in relation to skills, they believe the proposed right would support and encourage employers to invest in the skills of their employees as a driver for future business performance.

Time to train has the potential to affect a lot of people – the Government estimate that up to 300,000 more people will undertake training each year as a result of its introduction.  DIUS are therefore keen to hear the views of everyone with an interest in how time to train is taken forward - employers, individuals and representative bodies.  

The specific questions DIUS want to explore and debate are listed in the consultation document and the response form, both of which can be accessed at www.dius.gov.uk/consultations.  The consultation will run until 10 September 2008 and all responses must reach DIUS by that date.

August 2008