Why Training is Fundamental
In the current economic climate organisations have had to limit their spending and manage their training budgets much more efficiently. With Gordon Browns much publicised proposal for investment in skills and training there are various means of acquiring funding opportunities for your business making it more important than ever to get involved and help shape a better future for your business.
In the government commissioned report, Review of Skills, published in 2006, Lord Leitch warned that unless skills are improved in Britain, we face “a lingering decline in competiveness, diminishing economic growth, and a bleaker future for all.” He claims “the case for action is compelling and urgent”. Therefore it is imperative that we continue to develop our skills and invest in training. Lord Leitch believes not only will society become more prosperous and productive, with lower unemployment and levels of poverty and inequality; it will result in a net financial benefit of £80bn over three years. Mark Fisher, Chief Executive of the Sector Skills Development Agency, said the report recognised that employers must be “in the driving seat of workforce development”.
All organisations are unique and each has different priorities when it comes to coordinating staff training and, as a training provider, flexibility is key. At Training 26, we offer training courses in all leading software packages as well as providing a comprehensive range of training solutions to meet every organisational need. We strive to provide cost-effective training solutions whether you are sourcing a one-day course or a comprehensive program of training to help you make substantial savings and stretch your training budget that little bit further.
The UK is currently investing an estimated £33bn into further skills and training, but worryingly, one third of British organisations still provide no training at all for their staff. The General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress, Brendan Barber warns “The clock is ticking for the one in three employers who fail to train”. He believes Lord Leitch’s call on employers to publicly pledge their commitment to increase skills sent a strong message to those employers who short change staff, and the UK economy, by refusing to train.
Why Train in a downturn?
The evidence for the effectiveness of staff training is compelling. Recent research has proven that investing in effective training;
- Expands your companies productivity
- Increases efficiency
- Grows your profits
- Motivates staff
- Improves staff retention
- Reduces absenteeism
- Enhances customer service
A survey recently conducted by the Learning and Skills Council’s Train to Gain service found that 61% of managers currently site a “lack of time” as the biggest obstacle to staff training and 49% admitting they are “put-off” by the cost. Training 26 can offer training solutions including Public Courses covering all Microsoft Office packages, On Site training delivery, Late Availability discounts, Group discounts and Training Voucher Schemes. Our Training Voucher Schemes are very popular with many of our customers because they offer a cost-effective and flexible approach to standard Microsoft Office training. By subscribing to a Voucher Scheme your organisation can secure a discounted daily rate through the advance purchase of training vouchers, which are redeemable against places on Public MS Office courses. The advantages of attending standard public courses and subscribing to our training voucher scheme are as follows:
- Your organisation can secure a discount of up to 30% against our standard daily rate
- Training vouchers enable you to maximise the potential of your training budget whilst minimising your internal administration and account procedures
- Public course dates are published up to 6 months in advance, offering a variety of dates from which to choose
- A cross-section of delegates from different organisations encourages a broad range of questions, demonstrating the wider reaching functions of the software
For further information regarding our Training Voucher Scheme please contact one of our advisers on 0113 243 2226.
Recent feedback from one of our satisfied customers:
“...it would be difficult to find a comparable supplier offering such high standards of service as well as value for money.”
Her Majesty’s Courts Service
Creating what is referred to as a learning organisation, one in which everyone is constantly learning and applying their skills to bring about improvements will help create a more dynamic and competitive business entity. Businesses investing on average an extra £50 per week on staff training increased profits almost twice as fast compared to companies that failed to raise training budgets. In the UK only 28% of the population have intermediate skills in their IT knowledge compared with 51% in France and 65% in Germany and this has a direct impact on productivity. French and German workers produce between a quarter and a third more in every hour than their British counterparts. A skilled, trained workforce can dramatically improve bottom-line performance, adding value to your company’s products and services, making it easier to compete in the UK as well as the international market.
Now that the old financial year is complete, fresh budgets are in place and the training needs of your organisation are in the process of being evaluated, why not arrange an appointment with either one of our advisors to help tailor your training plan to meet your companies’ specific training needs. Contact us on 0113 243 2226 or alternatively e-mail sales@training26.co.uk.
