Lessons from other countries regarding incentives for employer-sponsored training

Investment in training in those countries is to a large extent the product of the collective bargaining process, in terms of specific measures at the enterprise level, while national goals and the structure and design of training programs are developed through tripartite processes. [...] In November 2006, CPRN and the Canadian Council on Learning convened a forum of leaders from the business and labour communities, the colleges, and federal and provincial governments to discuss these issues and to identify steps that should be taken to improve the quantity and quality of employer investment in workplace learning. [...] Countries Examined in This Report The importance of workplace training to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of employers and the employability and earning capacity of workers is understood in all industrialized countries. [...] For example, there is a public good aspect to the provision of information in a number of areas pertinent to investment in training such as labour market trends, availability of training programs, and the results of research on the effectiveness of different types of training activity. [...] Investors in People was established in the United Kingdom in 1990 by the National Training Task Force in collaboration with the Confederation of British Industry, the Trades Union Congress and the Institute of Personnel and Development, to encourage companies to invest in training.