The grass roots alternative

Before making up its mind on what changes to make in the statutory system of industrial training the Government, playing according to the rules, asked the Manpower Services Commission for its advice. In turn the MSC established a Review Body which eventually produced its report OUTLOOK ON TRAINING. Seen by some as an attempt to extend the MSC's own influence and by others as the mixture as before, the report has been regarded, outside the MSC itself, with universal disfavour and as totally irrelevant to the country's needs and so someone in industry had to do what the Review Body failed to do, namely look at other more pertinent and less costly remedies. This initiative was taken by EEMTEB (the Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Training and Education Board), through a small ad hoc working party with representatives of the motor manufacturers and the Society of British Aerospace Companies, which explored in some depth the pros and cons of the Industrial Training Board (ITB) and levy system and alternative solutions. The working party's recommendations are outlined below. Copies of the full Discussion Document on the National Training System are available from Vivien Marshall, Secretary to EEMTEB, Leicester House, 8 Leicester Street, London WC2H 7BN, who would also welcome comments. Other sectors were involved in the discussions to ensure that the proposals were valid not only in the engineering industry, but nationally.