News - UKCES warns "slash training at your peril"
Released on 28/10/2008.
UKCES Chief Executive Chris Humphries urges that training budgets should not be cut as this could result in the UK falling behind other countries.
"Our concern is that [training cuts] are going to happen. Evidence from the last recession is that training is at the top of the agenda when it comes to cutting budgets," he said.
The Leitch report in 2006 recommended far reaching requirements for skills development in the UK in order to compete with other nations. A set back such as this will do little to help the work that has been undertaken to date towards the targets Leitch recommended.
Peter Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, also added that "During these difficult times many businesses will look at how to rein in costs. Evidence though shows, that those that invest in training, are less likely to fail. And first class workplace skills will be key to prospering when the economy turns up."
