More than half of UK learning and development (L&D) professionals disagree with the Government’s new plan, announced in late May, to cut £200 million from the Train to Gain scheme and use £150 million of this to create 50,000 extra apprenticeships.
According to research carried out by the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition, while 48% disagree with the Government’s cutbacks, because they think that both Train to Gain and apprenticeships are very important and both need substantial investment, a further 3% also disagree, but instead believe that Train to Gain is a more important programme than creating more apprenticeships and that investment levels in Train to Gain should be maintained.
At the same time 39% of respondents agree it is right to cut Train to Gain under the current economic pressures because they think that the scheme is not sufficiently effective to be continued at its previous scale.
Yet another 8% agree with the Government, taking the extreme view that they have seen no tangible benefits from Train to Gain and so it should be scrapped, while 3% said they saw no tangible benefits to either programme and felt that funds could be better spent elsewhere.
Andrew Gee, senior project manager for the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition, said: "The Government has clearly divided the learning and development community on this issue, as more than half – 51% altogether – disagree with its cuts. Yet, with almost half also dissatisfied with Train to Gain as it is and agreeing with the plans to change it, the industry is split almost down the middle. This suggests that there may be some interesting debates in the near future about the implementation of these changes."
L&D professionals split down the middle on plans to divert some Train to Gain funding to finance more apprenticeships
The HR industry is divided on the Government's plans to cut the Train to Gain scheme and create 50,000 new apprenticeships.
