A £4.5 MILLION scheme has been launched to pay York and North Yorkshire businesses for training staff.

train2gain, a successful national scheme designed to improve skill levels by paying businesses for giving workers time off for free training, has been extended to the region.

The initiative, run by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) North Yorkshire, is available for any employee, aged 19 or over, to train to NVQ Level 2 or an equivalent level while compensating employers for the time they spend training.

The scheme, successfully operating in South and West Yorkshire, forms a vital part of the Government's drive to improve skills in the workplace by targeting employers who have not traditionally trained their staff. An LSC study recently revealed that seven million adults in England lack basic literacy and numeracy skills up to NVQ Level 2 standard, costing industry an estimated £10 billion a year.

Across York and North Yorkshire, 26 per cent of adults have no qualifications compared with 29.1 per cent nationally.

Yorkshire Forward is funding the York and North Yorkshire programme ahead of a countrywide launch because train2gain, or its equivalent, has been so well received in other areas.

Don Stewart, executive director of people for Yorkshire Forward, said: "Smaller businesses know how important good training is, but it can be hard to gather the resources and time to get that off the ground.

"train2gain makes it easy for them to fill their skills gaps, and, in turn, become more competitive and productive."

Businesses are helped to find the right training for their workers - whether in numeracy, literacy and English language classes or skills directly related to their job - by LSC-funded "brokers".

As part of the deal, employees are given time off to train and the employer receives contributions towards the costs incurred while they are not working.

Most businesses will qualify for the compensation element.

North Yorkshire's train2gain scheme has already received the seal of approval from Ripon Area Business Association (RABA) and Ripon City Partnership.

David Briggs, vice-chairman of the Ripon City Partnership and executive member of RABA said: "As employers, we in Ripon realise how important well trained and motivated staff are to the well being and success of businesses.

RABA and the Ripon City Partnership are going to make a special effort to bring this scheme to the attention of all the eligible businesses so that that they can take advantage of its offer.

"Better skills, particularly in communications and customer service, will differentiate us from our competitors and help us to grow as a prosperous city."

Katherine Humphreys, from the LSC North Yorkshire, said: "This endorsement from Ripon businesses is a great start for the programme and a clear message for other employers.

"Higher skills levels are good for York and North Yorkshire's economy and with train2gain there are now no obstacles left for employers who want to help their staff to gain qualifications."

About 12,000 businesses in the pilot areas have subscribed to the scheme, training 86,000 workers, with 22,000 having so far gained formal qualifications.

Employers who are interested in train2gain should phone 01904 686000.

Updated: 11:33 Wednesday, April 06, 2005