We must be able to respond rapidly to the changing needs of employers to tackle skill shortages and of individuals wishing to develop new skills. This requires a close relationship between training providers and the world of work. The business environment in which most companies operate, is becoming more competitive, and increasingly changeable. Staff are often the largest item in the cost base of an organisation, and good staff are as essential to the production of any product or service as machinery or premises. It makes commercial sense to tray and achieve the maximum return on this investment in human resources.
Organisations can gain competitive advantage by getting the most out of their human resources.
By encouraging staff to learn they can make their workforce better equipped to cope with change. All these improvements have a positive effect on business performance, and can also help us to achieve the Investors in People standard. As providers of education and training we must position ourselves as preferred industry trainers. There is great interest from corporations to establish training partnerships with technical and vocational education providers in order to reduce costs and improve effectiveness. Our use of open learning, distance methodologies and technology will place us well in this position.