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Train to Gain

What is Train to Gain?

Today’s Economic Environment

Times are tough. Businesses and employees are experiencing greater economic hardships. There are various websites providing information on help and advice for individuals (please look at our Useful Links page).

The Government recognises that these are challenging times for employers and that is why it is focusing on providing real help to ensure that businesses and individuals get the support they need to survive and to make the most of the new opportunities the upturn will bring.

Train to Gain is part of the Governments Solutions for Business, a wide portfolio of highly targeted, publicly funded business support products and services, designed to help eligible English businesses grow and succeed.

As the national skills service Train to Gain:

• aims to meet the needs of employers of all sizes and from all sectors to improve the skills of their employees as a route to improving their business performance
• aims to encourage all businesses and individuals to value and realise the benefits that learning and skills can bring
• is a valuable resource for employers, unlocking employees’ potential and increasing company productivity

A broad range of training is covered – from basic level skills to Level 2, Level 3 and other higher-level skills such as Leadership and Management.

The challenges businesses face:

• 15% of employers in England are experiencing skills gaps in their workforce. This is a slight improvement on the one in six reporting gaps in 2005 (NESS07)
• A fifth of employers with skills gaps had lost business or turned business away (NESS07)
• One in six employers with skills gaps had delayed developing new products or services (NESS07)
• Over a quarter of employers with skills gaps report increased operating costs as a result (NESS07)

Why should you continue to train your staff in these tough times?

Businesses must carry on training their staff, even when times are tough. Companies whose people have the skills to offer high-quality products and services most efficiently will be best placed to weather the downturn and take advantage quickly when the economy picks up again.

But we know that for small and medium-sized businesses it can still be hard to give staff the time and support they need to train at any time, and particularly when profit margins are getting squeezed.
How can Train to Gain help smaller and medium sized businesses?

We’ve made small and medium-sized businesses the top priority and we’re making it easier for small businesses to carry on developing their staff during these difficult times. For instance, we’ve introduced short courses in business critical areas from cash flow management to IT and customer service.

Do employers value Train to Gain?

Latest employer feedback on Train to Gain shows:

• Over three quarters of employers (78%) are happy with the skills brokerage service
• 80% of employers said they would recommend Train to Gain to other business colleagues
• 66% believe training is contributing to improved long-term competitiveness

Since its launch over two and a half years ago, Train to Gain has helped over 143,000 businesses and almost 1 million people realise the benefits of better skills, and demand continues to grow.

• 80% reported improved quality standards
• 61% improved productivity
• 53% improved staff retention
• 74% noted improvement in job-related skills and  80% noted improvements in the self-confidence of their staff

Available Training

In order to deliver the widest possible training packages Boston College has formed partnerships with local training providers offereing a range of packages under ‘one umbrella’. Please contact us or see the Boston College website further for information on all the training available.

For more information on how Train to Gain can help you or to arrange a business consultation please contact Boston College on 01205 313242.

Page Last Updated : 02/10/2009 16:42:04