Written by: James Burke
Thursday, May 31, 2007

Train to Gain – Who gains?

What is Train to Gain?

Train to Gain is a skills brokerage service provided by the Learning and Skills Council.  It aims to offer free impartial and independent advice to businesses; match any training needs identified with training providers and ensure that training is delivered to meet business needs. It has been in operation for 10 months.

Is Train to Gain a success?

The Learning and Skills Council would point to surveys, which indicate a high percentage of satisfaction on the part of employers as a sign of its success.

Training providers however appears to have had little direct benefit as a result of the scheme. Colleges have reported low numbers of people referred to them by brokers for training; and this appears to be echoed by training companies. More than 80% of further education colleges have gained less that 10% of their Train to Gain business via brokers and 6