Since they were launched in September 2002, The Learning and Skills Council's £40 million project to encourage employers to give low-skilled workers paid time off work has seen 1,500 employers and 7,000 employees involved in Birmingham and Solihull, Derbyshire, Essex, Greater Manchester, Tyne and Wear, Wiltshire and Swindon.

Here, we take a closer look at the Employer Training Pilots scheme, and talk to Alan Taylor, TrainingZONE member and Project Manager for Free2learn, the Employer Training Pilot in Wiltshire and Swindon, about his experiences of the Pilot scheme to date.

Through the Employer Training Pilots scheme, the LSC aims to support an estimated 2,500-3,000 employers and up to 25,000 staff who lack basic skills or vocational qualifications at level 2 – roughly equivalent to GCSE level by encouraging employers to support staff training. The pilots reimburse the wage costs of employers, particularly small organisations, that agree to allow workers to attend courses during working hours, after research found that a key barrier to employers training their low-skilled staff is the cost of giving them time off to study. So far, six local LSC areas mentioned above have been involved in an intial year trial since last September - if successful, the scheme will be rolled out across the country.

Alan Taylor says: "The first phase of the pilots has been successful because it delivers training in the work-place tailored to the needs of business. We are thrilled with the response of the business community, we are working closely with many companies who would have not normally have trained their lower skilled staff."

Salisbury and District Value Cars was one of the first companies to sign up for Free2Learn. Director Mark Lowe is a great fan: "Building staff motivation and enthusiasm is pivotal to business success – training and development is central to this. Free2Learn is an excellent initiative and a welcome addition to our existing training programme."

All these learners, of course, need good training providers. Providers who are interested in delivering training under the Employer Training Pilot can contact their local team, based at the local Learning and Skills Council.

Alan Taylor explains; "We have £6.19 million to spend by 1 September 2003 and a further £8 – 14 million over the next 12 months. We are in need of training providers who will deliver high standards of training in a manner appropriate to the needs of business."

You can find out more about the Employer Training Pilots across the country by contacting your local Learning and Skills Council, or visit the main LSC website.