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Path: Home > Advocacy > NTOs

Building a Stronger Network: developing the role of National Training Organisations

A response to the DfEE Consultation by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education

Published: June 2001

The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) is pleased to respond publicly to the government’s proposals for reform of the NTO network. NIACE is the UK’s leading non-governmental organisation for adult learning and a charity. Its broad aim is to advance the interests of adults as learners and as potential learners. Our strategic plan commits us to "support an increase in the total numbers of adults engaged in formal and informal learning in England and Wales; and at the same time to take positive action to improve opportunities and widen access to learning opportunities for those communities underrepresented in current provision".
In addition to its individual members, NIACE has some 300 corporate members drawn from all local authorities, from community education services, FE colleges, universities, broadcasters, voluntary organisations and trade unions. Our closest links with government are through the Department for Education and Employment and the Welsh Office.
Furthermore, NIACE is a founding agency of PAULO, the NTO for community-based learning and development. PAULO covers the occupational sector which includes Community Education, Community Based Adult Education, Community Work and Youth Work.
We welcome the government’s broad assessment of the key issues facing the NTO network and the conclusions drawn which point towards a smaller, stronger and better-resourced network of sector organisations, able to serve SMEs as well as large organisations.
While accepting that some NTOs are too small to be effective we would note, however, that some of the most innovative and effective work has come from small NTOs (for example, the voluntary levy developed by SKILLSET). In any reform we believe that it will be essential to ensure that:

the activities of NTOs reflect the diversity of employment relationships within the workforce (especially those in part-time employment, temporary employment and voluntary workers). In community-based adult education in particular, the majority of work will be done by part-time employees, some but not all of whom may have other occupations. In youth work, as well as large numbers of part-time staff, the importance of the voluntary workforce cannot be overestimated.

that the training needs of workers in low-sized specialist occupations are not neglected within larger groupings;

that occupations concentrated in a small number of geographical areas are not marginalised.

We endorse the three key roles set out for NTOs in the future: Assessing and articulating current and future skills needs; Leading action on sector skills Development; and Active review of progress in meeting skills priorities. We agree that these should form the basis of a strategic process for sector skills planning and action. In doing so, we believe that there is a need for a strong steer from government to ensure effective liaison not only with local Learning and Skills Councils but also with local learning partnerships and with trade unions.
NIACE welcomes the proposal for stronger NTO Groups. We believe that there is a particular case to encourage closer working between all NTOs concerned with employment in the learning and development sector. This would cover PAULO, FENTO, THETO, the Early Years NTO and parts of the Employment NTO.
In order to encourage innovation and partnership at strategic level, we believe that the government should consider the establishment of a challenge fund to which NTO could bid to undertake creative developmental work. The government may also wish to encourage the extension of the union learning fund to address wider issues of workforce development and collaborative work with NTOs.
Overall, NIACE would urge the government to consider using the opportunity of the NTO review to encourage all NTOs to include at least 25% representatives of employees on their governing bodies as well as the voices of employers. This would go some way to promote greater partnership working and to ensure that the learning needs of employees are considered as well as the needs of employers. In a fast-changing labour market, issues of individual employability should have a significant place in skills planning.
The review provides a real opportunity to build a far stronger network of sectoral bodies, capable of contributing to the establishment of a learning society. To date few NTOs have developed their potential in promoting recurrent education and continuing development within the adult workforce rather than initial training for new entrants to an occupation. With support and encouragement this should change.
Please contact NIACE if there is any aspect of this response about which you would like further information. Please contact Alastair Thomson (alastair.thomson@niace.org.uk) .