TECs' training standards rapped by report

Training and enterprise councils took another nail in the coffin this week as inspectors said that although much work-based training was outstanding, a significant minority was dismally poor, writes Alan Thomson.

The annual report of Training Standards Council chief inspector David Sherlock reveals that standards have risen but still 15 per cent of training grades awarded to the 300 mainly TEC-funded bodies inspected were less than satisfactory or poor.

Mr Sherlock's report, Reaching New Standards, said that nearly half of the organisations had at least one area of weakness and will have to be reinspected.

Inspectors judged provision in four generic areas: quality assurance, management of training, trainee support and equal opportunities. Nearly a quarter of the organisations inspected were less than satisfactory in managing their training. Two out of five of them had less than satisfactory quality assurance systems.

Organisations failing to reach a satisfactory standard in the reinspections should have their funding withdrawn by the TECs responsible. If the TECs do not do so, they will have to answer to the government.

TECs will cease to provide work-based training from April 2001 under plans announced in the Learning to Succeed white paper.