Sweeping change starts here
February 27th 2008 You could argue it’s not rocket science but perhaps just a simple equation:Training + motivated workforce = higher retention rates and increased productivity.
At Asset Skills we are constantly striving to get this message over. It needn’t cost any more than a little time. Over the next few months we will be stepping up efforts to boost take up of the national Train to Gain scheme. This is a Government initiative which aims to ensure workers in England have skills to match the best in the world.
There are currently 1.3 million people who go to work without the basic skills to enable them to do their job properly. Yet research shows employers who invest in staff development reap huge rewards. Confident, capable workers and satisfied customers are crucial components for business success.
We are targeting cleaning firms across the UK to increase their take up of the Train to Gain programme.We want people within the industry to benefit from learning and qualifications as part of the scheme, particularly National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).
How does Train to Gain work?
We are looking to develop relationships with small to medium sized businesses. Firms with less than 200 employees are likely to benefit most from the scheme in terms of funding and support, but it’s open to any organisation with more than five workers.
Last December we began working with cleaning businesses in the West Midlands and are now already half way towards reaching our target for Train to Gain take up in that region.
We are now stepping up the programme in the East and South East of England. This involves direct marketing and one to one meetings with employers and a trained ‘skills broker’, who will assess each company’s training needs.These services are free - all we ask from employers is their time.
The skills broker will then propose a plan to implement the training at the least inconvenience to the business.
Why get involved?
We believe Train to Gain is the best route to access funded training.Companies can get their staff trained to NVQ Level 2 and 3. Plus, there’s a discretionary £1,000 fund available for management and leadership training. For small and medium sized cleaning firms this can have a big impact on competitiveness. Better trained staff means improved customer service. Effective supervisory staff are critical for winning larger, more ambitious contracts that fuel growth and ensure the development of future managers.
The cleaning industry is changing. Continued pressure to ensure quality of standards and service present new challenges, particularly to smaller firms. Train to Gain enables these companies to address these issues with confidence and manage company growth.We hope to deliver this opportunity to a wide number of cleaning businesses over the coming months.
If you are interested in finding out more about how Train to Gain can benefit your business please contact me, Karen Waterlow, Specialist Adviser Facilities Management & Cleaning Services, on kwaterlow@assetskills.org
Sector Skills Agreement
Asset Skills has recently published an extensive piece of research called the Sector Skills Agreement (SSA), which highlighted where the skills gaps were in each industry it covers. In the property sector it found there is a lack of women and young people in jobs like surveying and town planning, a trend also mirrored in facilities management. In housing the SSA found there were not enough housing officers and managers with the right skills. In cleaning there was found to be a high staff turnover and the industry suffered from a poor image.
As a result of these findings, Asset Skills set clear targets and drew up action plans. The organisation has worked hard to raise awareness among employers of the business case for training. In the cleaning industry particularly, investing in staff can help boost motivation, improve staff retention levels and lead to increased productivity. More articles from Asset Skills: | 
