The role of the social partners in vocational education and training in the United Kingdom

This report comprises an in-depth investigation of the existing and historical structures governing co-operation and co-ordination between the social partners and public bodies responsible for vocational education and training in the EC. It begins with the central regulatory instruments and decision-making levels, examining the situation at regional, local and enterprise levels as well as industrial sectors in EC member states; and develops proposals for the contents and objectives of an improved social dialogue at the various levels. It recommends the reduction of distortion of training policy; facilitation of trade union involvement in the training dialogue; dissemination at the local level of information on training opportunities and training demand, between the social partners; clarify and improve the nature and content of dialogue between the social partners; greater involvement of the Manpower Services Commission in sector-specific training concerns; stimulate investment in training through public procurement policy; and making firm- or plant- level training committees a requirement for firms to be accredited as training organisations.