Employer support for training & education (Q14-17)

Despite all the recommendations by government and industry bodies that training and upskilling not be sacrificed by businesses during the recession, it appears that the desperate need to cut costs is having a damaging affect on training provision. The number of respondents who receive ‘organised or regular training at work’ has dropped from 47% in 2007 to 38% in 2008. The trend is confirmed by a similar dip of 7% in the number of people who believe that his/her employer ‘offer sufficient training and education opportunities’.

The trend continues in terms of employer funding for employee training, with 41% of respondents’ employers paying either some or all of their course fees, in comparison with 59% in 2007.

Of course, the situation could be viewed in terms of the ‘glass half full’. Given the dire situation of the Irish economy, it might be said that these figures could easily have been a lot worse. What darkens this optimistic outlook however is the fact that a minority of respondents received learning support from employers in the form of the ‘use of PC or laptop’ (24%) or ‘study or exam leave’ (33%). When relatively basic assistance such as this is not available to employees, then it must be said that training and education do not appear to be high on the agenda of Ireland’s employers.