News Archive

DfES Secretary of State Visits Eastleigh College Today

Education and Skills Secretary Alan Johnson, visits Eastleigh College today to look at the impact Train to Gain is making in up-skilling and reskilling the Construction workforce in the region. He is meeting representatives from Government Office South East, The Learning & Skills Council, SEEDA, training brokers, training providers and construction companies.

Eastleigh College is the lead partner in a consortium of 23 training providers delivering the Government funded Train to Gain, a new service from the Learning and Skills Council which helps businesses get the training they need to succeed. The consortium headed by Eastleigh College holds a £4.6 million Train to Gain contract to deliver 3982 NVQs in Construction in the first year, in relation to all the construction OSAT (on site assessment and training) Train to Gain Projects in the South East. Further funding is to be awarded in year two to deliver an additional target number of NVQs.

Alan Johnson says "Lord Leitch was clear in his report that Government, industry, education providers and individuals must work together if we are to attain the skills base this country will need to compete successfully in 2020. Train to Gain is a brilliant example of how these groups can come together to help meet the aims set out in the Leitch Review. I was very impressed with what I saw and heard at Eastleigh College; there is a lot of good work going on which will ensure those already in the workforce and those coming into the workforce have the skills they need and can continually advance those skills as the workplace and their needs evolve".


Tony Lau-Walker, Chief Executive at Eastleigh College, said "Train to Gain is enabling Eastleigh College and our training partners to help employers develop the qualification and skills levels of their employees and to move closer to the goal of having a fully carded workforce".

One of the topics on the agenda for discussion is the Leitch Review on skills, published on Tuesday 5 December, which makes future recommendations for Train to Gain. The Government commissioned the independent review to identify the UK's optimal skills mix in 2020 to maximise economic growth, productivity and social justice, and to consider the policy implications of achieving the level of change required.

Release date 11/12/2006