Industrial Training in a Cold Climate

Industrial training is an important factor in international competitiveness. It is widely recognized that British industrial training lags behind major international competitors such as Germany, France and Japan. This book seeks to explain why this is so, and concludes with policy proposals. The first part of the book provides an overview of the history of the British education and training system. The second part analyzes industrial training policy subsequent to the Industrial Training Act of 1964. There is wide political interest in training policy in Britain. One of the central issues is whether Government's role should be largely confined to the provision of advice or encouragement, or whether it should intervene more directly by means of financial incentives and penalties. Systems of training levies and grants are also in operation or under consideration in several countries, including Canada, Cyprus, Ireland and even the United States and there is interest in those countries in the experience of the British Industrial Training Board (ITB) system, reviewed in this book.