The new partnership required by the government is outlined in the prospectus under three headings. ‘Best market solutions’, which will invest in the best innovative ideas to drive enterprise and remove skills barriers to growth; ‘National skills academies’, expanding the successful network of academies, which already exist in 16 sectors; and ‘Joint investment programmes’, bringing together employer and public investment in specific training projects to improve business productivity and growth.
We welcome much of what has been included in the Growth and Innovation Fund (GIF) prospectus. It seems the government realises the impact that skills development can have on pushing the economy forward and driving sustainable growth in the future, and has accepted that investing the majority of its support into a few, select industries hasn’t worked.
Improved option
The government’s decision to put more power into the hands of employer-led organisations is a good one, and something that employers within the print industry should welcome. It means that these organisations, such as Proskills, are being given more control to do what our employers are asking for.
The GIF, although not yet tested, is much improved from its Train to Gain predecessor. Instead of an uncapped free-for-all on qualifications, the GIF aims to put in place a much more targeted approach to the delivery of funding.
There will be a new ‘pot’ of funding through the ‘best market solutions’, set up to encourage innovation within industry into new ways of doing things. In the first round of the joint investment programme, Proskills secured 34% of the entire budget for our sector, working with employers and we hope to get more from this round as this is how the majority of funding will be made available.
The joint investment programme has seen the largest investment from the government into areas of sustainability and carbon reduction than ever before, with employers within our sector being able to get their hands on a pot of £3.5m, to be used for gaining industry relevant qualifications. This is open to printers who would like 50% of the cost or training in management, process improvement, recycling as well as printing training at the higher, technician or supervisory level.
The GIF is a step in the right direction, and it is essential that the industry works with us to take this opportunity to address skills issues which have been struggling with for a long time.
Anyone interested should contact Proskills on 01235 432030 or email funding@proskills.co.uk to find out more.
Terry Watts is chief executive of Proskills
This more targeted approach is a step in the right direction
This 50m-per-year fund marks a radical change in the relationship between government and industry. Gone are the days of government hand-outs to those industries used to getting 'fully funded' training. For printers, who have been pretty well ignored by the public sector skills investment programmes, save for the work of Proskills and the remaining few high-quality training providers, it marks a new set of opportunities.
