Ninety-six per cent of HR Directors see a clear link between vocational training and increased profitability.

The poll conducted on behalf of Foundation Degrees shows that this view is shared by company directors who see the value of skills-based training.

Failure to take sufficient action, however, is hampering progress.

Only a quarter of business leaders say their company is involved in the design and delivery of vocational training.

This finding comes despite two-thirds of company directors admitting their sector is feeling the effects of skills shortages, while more than half of respondents claim their own businesses have suffered directly.

Training is a key tool for up-skilling existing staff and improving staff satisfaction according to 88% of directors and 94% of HR Directors.

Shared views were also held by 79% of directors and 87% of HR directors who believe that work-based learning provides excellent preparation for individuals entering the workplace.

Despite traditionally poor perceptions of vocational training 84% of directors feel that senior management within their firm and sector are definitely not dismissive of this type of learning.

While 70% of HR directors and more than half of all directors admit a vocational qualification would have benefited their career.

HR directors face a bigger battle when it comes to practical issues. While 88% of HR directors say that they personally recognise the benefits of giving time off work for vocational training, they claim that 42% of their company would disagree.

In addition, more than one in three HR directors state that their training budget is restrictive.

However, most companies claim to be doing their best to redress the balance of skills. Eighty per cent of companies are willing to support staff by offering them
time off work to train, while more than two-thirds of companies will also pay for such courses.

Paul Davies, a spokesperson for Foundation Degrees commented:

“It’s great to see HR directors acting as torchbearers for vocational qualifications and we would encourage them to lead from the front in terms of encouraging organisations to become involved in the provision of vocational training.

“The poll findings also show that senior management have a crucial re-educational job to do, tackling the mental barriers that exist towards vocational education within their own organisations. Only by recognising vocational training as central to profitability and by taking measures to integrate this in their company’s HR policy, can business leaders begin to bridge their skills gap.”

A total of 216 directors from companies with 50 or more staff were surveyed.