TRAINING providers claim that Swindon's employers are missing out on important training opportunities.

According to Mike Hopkins, principal at Swindon College: "Despite the government making a clear link between skills and productivity in its recent Skills White Paper, the response from local industry is quite patchy.

"Although I am pleased that so many companies are active in training, there are many more, especially small businesses, who are not involved."

Which, as it turns out, is a view echoed by Janice Kania, regional manager at Swindon's Key Training.

She adds: "Training providers have to work with employers to deliver opportunities and busi-ness has to be able to access the training that best meets its needs.

"As an employer, I know that workforce development impacts directly on our performance.

"There is an enormous range of work-related opportunities available to help develop our business and get the best from our employers."

The government's White Paper makes direct and disappointing comparisons between training in the UK and levels in competing countries such as France and Germany.

In order to promote training, new opportunities have been introduced, including Free2-Learn, the extension of the modern apprentice scheme to older employers; the develop-ment of partnerships between industry and education and training providers, and the new idea of vocational Foundation Degrees.

In some cases these pro-grammes provide funding to assist training and replacement staff costs.

"I would like to be able to say that industry was demanding more and more from us in train-ing terms," added Mr Hopkins.

"At Swindon College, as at other local providers, we have a comprehensive range of training programmes but need to get the business community in dis-cussion with us to sort out their needs."

In principle, Dennis Grant, chief executive of Swindon Chamber of Commerce said he agreed with Mr Hopkins' senti-ments, but defended the unres-ponsiveness of small business.

He said: "The issue is that there is a virtual plethora of training schemes available, and while bigger companies have their own Human Resources departments to sift through the reams of paperwork, smaller firms, where the owner is often fully engaged in running the business on a day-to-day basis, do not and cannot afford the time to do so either.

"This is why early next year, we will launch our own guide to all the training projects avail-able."

Jeremy Smith