TrainingZONE promises to try and avoid the debate from now on, but notes that in yet another survey that the training versus salary debate is still alive and kicking.

The latest survey from e-Learning, IT and business skills training company KnowledgePool rather sensibly finds that, actually, most employees would like both. 74% of employees in the UK rate training as important as a better financial package, 53% as important as private healthcare and 55% as important as a shorter working week.

'Train to Gain', a survey of 200 UK companies, set out to examine the percieved importance of training in the workplace. Among the main findings were that individuals are placing a growing importance on their own development, due in part to the shift in the jobs market away from 'a job for life'. David Wimpress, executive chairman of KnowledgePool adds: "As jobs for life are now a thing of the past, it is interesting to see how many individuals are taking responsibility for planning their own training."

The report finds that companies recognise the value of training, but more than half the companies in the UK provide training principally to provide their staff with essential skills, whilst those who do so to improve competitiveness are in the minority.

Companies are increasingly including training as an integral part of employment packages, with 58% regarding the inclusion of training as part of employment packages as important when recruiting new staff. However, as people become more senior within their organisation, they become less likely to receive training - one in six companies do not provide any training for senior staff.

Worryingly, the report also reveals that where companies have an online training programme, more than three-quarters of their employees were unaware of it. "Not enough people are aware of the opportunity to use e-learning as a flexible training option," said Paul Butler, managing director of KnowledgePool. That's of concern to us. The message is not getting out that there is an alternative to the classroom." Butler blamed the lack of awareness on "too much confusion in the market place".