AoC welcomes NAO’s report into Train to Gain

The National Audit Office has published a critical report into Train to Gain, the Government’s flagship service to support employers in England to improve the skills of their employees.

The report has been welcomed by the Association of Colleges (AoC), which says it “reflects many of the concerns colleges have been raising with us about the programme”.

Much of the concern is over the programme’s “financial mismanagement”, such as the £700 million spent on training employees that could have been paid for by their employers.

“It is now important that the funding made available for training through Train to Gain is used most effectively. Government needs to ensure that management of the programme does not induce over-commitment in Colleges and other providers which would echo the capital crisis in further education,” said Martin Doel, AoC’s chief executive.

Mr Doel added: “This and other instances of financial mismanagement highlight the need for the Government to monitor the programme’s budget very closely to avoid a repeat of the problems surrounding its College Capital Building Programme.”