Getting the measure of training: A report on training statistics in Britain

Felstead, Alan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8851-4289, Green, Francis and Mayhew, Ken 1997. Getting the measure of training: A report on training statistics in Britain. [Project Report]. Leeds: Centre for Industrial Policy and Performance. Available at: http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED415363

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Abstract

Despite the prominence of work-based training in British national policy debate, published statistics fail to give solid data on training volume or quality. The Labor Force Survey, commonly used to give a picture of increasing training, shows proportions of training over any 4-week period rose from 10.8 percent in 1985 to 15.2 percent in 1994. Closer analysis indicates that, spread over all employees, average time spent on off-the-job training was 39 minutes per week per employee in 1985 and 40 minutes in 1994. Use of proxy interviewing techniques makes reliability of the participation rate questionable. Current surveys provide little useful information about trends in training quality and none about trends in training sponsorship. Proposed typologies of training are based on training quantity, quality, and sponsorship. To develop this proposition, two surveys have been conducted--one focused on individuals, the other on employing organizations--to examine the quantity and quality of employee training in Britain and show the occurrence of much undetected training through teach-yourself methods. The individual survey included interviews with a random sample of 1,539; the employer survey received responses from 149 of 742 large employers and 313 of 1,570 small employers. Findings indicated the following: 34 percent of training is certified; over 80 percent of employees believe they are getting transferable skills; 63 percent of employers fully fund training; the majority of employees felt the aim of training was to improve their skills for doing their job; and relatively few felt their mobility would be affected by their training. An appendix contains key survey questions. Contains 20 references.

Item Type:	Monograph (Project Report)
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor L Education > LC Special aspects of education > LC5201 Education extension. Adult education. Continuing education
Publisher:	Centre for Industrial Policy and Performance
ISBN:	1900840073
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	27 Oct 2022 09:52
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/68049

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