This may be a good sign that Train to Gain is working and budgets have been spent, or it could be an indication that funds earmarked for existing Train to Gain contracts have been diverted to other schemes such as "Entry for Employment" to help reduce the impact of high unemployment.

Whatever the reason, it is apparent that there is going to be fierce competition for new Train to Gain contracts that will have learner restrictions for the next financial year, which starts in August 2009. Logic suggests that high-performing providers will be first in line for the lion's share of new funding!

Whilst there are restrictions on recruiting new learners for Train to Gain for many providers, they still have three months to prove themselves and get any learners who are currently in the programme completed. The official Learning and Skills Council figures regarding completions illustrates that more than 25% of learners who start a Train to Gain Level 2 Programme do not successfully complete their training course.

Hudson-Kelly believes that one of the key reasons for the declines in learners' motivation is the paperwork and bureaucracy that surrounds the programme. Her experience is that providers are not keeping learners interested and don't involve employers enough in understanding what learners need to do.





Learners should be able to access their tutors whenever they need to and be able to use modern-day technology in all its facets. This is especially important for younger learners who are fluent with such technology and need a variety of resources to hold their interest. Funded Training Made Easy supports training providers to be more innovative and successful in their approach to Train to Gain delivery.