CITB-ConstructionSkills has welcomed the announcement from the Skills Funding Agency that it will trial a new scheme that will reward colleges and training providers if they secure employment for young people and can meet the skills needs of local employers.

The new "outcome incentive payments" trial proposes paying public money to colleges and providers which is clawed back if they fail to deliver the local skills needs of business and communities. Under the proposed new regime colleges could also be paid for other outcomes, such as getting learners into employment or better jobs.

Chief Executive of CITB-ConstructionSkills, Mark Farrar said: "The true value of training and qualifications has to be judged by outcomes, by what is achieved for individual learners in terms of opportunities and how well they meet local business needs. As the Sector Skills Council and Industry Training Board we are working hard to try and attract new blood into the industry but we are determined to avoid dead ends for anyone coming into the industry. That is why in all of our projects, initiatives and training programmes we work directly with employers, industry stakeholders and local government to carefully assess the skills needs and embed this in the training from the outset.

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"We therefore welcome the announcement from the Skills Funding Agency. Vocational training should be 'demand-led' – meaning what the industry needs, based on what individual learners as well as business want, rather than what is potentially easier for providers to deliver.

"We eagerly await the findings of the trial – we may be witnessing the beginning of an important shift in the vocational educational provision and delivery, a move to the type of approach that we have supported, championed and have been executing in our own projects for some time."

(CD/BMcC)