Clarke pledges action on training

The Government has promised to develop stronger links between employers and secondary schools in an attempt to solve skills shortages and raise competence levels.

Speaking at the annual dinner of the Electrical Contractors' Association, education secretary Charles Clarke called for every secondary school to develop relationships with employers to understand the needs of business.

"The Learning and Skills Council has a budget of £8 billion in the current financial year," said Clarke. "Is it being well spent? No, I believe there is not a strong enough relationship between employers and educational institutions."

The Government sees vocational skills playing an important role. "Vocational qualifications should be part of every child's learning experience," said Clarke. He urged contractors to engage in the education agenda. "It will require a change of attitude in the education sector but we want to build that relationship."

The Government is also committed to two-year vocational degrees and Clarke called for contractors to "work with Sector Skills Councils to build Foundation Degrees that work for your industry."

Earlier, ECA president David Dennison had looked to government to ensure that SummitSkills, the m&e industry's skills council, was not "further delayed or bogged down in bureaucracy".

Dennison also called for support funds for adult trainees. While the education secretary recognised the argument in favour of looking to that source of recruits, he said: "Limited resources mean that we have prioritised on youngsters. I would like to agree extra funding but cannot commit myself at this point."

The ECA president urged Clarke to encourage his colleagues to confirm that electrical safety will be referenced within the Building Regulations and that the Electrotechnical Assessment Scheme will be the determinant of competence. A statement is expected by the end of the month.

Dennison welcomed the recommendation that government departments be given a target date of 2007 for phasing out retentions, but called for interim measures: "First, retention should be released on satisfactory completion of work and second, that all retention monies be lodged in a separate ring-fenced account."