Training buyers are putting more value on - and cash into - management courses, according to a new report.

Cambridge Online Learning’s (COL) 2003 Annual Training Survey showed a 100% increase in the awareness of the importance of management training.

While COL said that management training was still suffering the effects of recession, of the 250 training buyers surveyed 18% compared with 9% last year stated an ‘increase in awareness’ as the key reason for increased management training spend in 2003.

Wastage of training budgets due to non-completion of courses went down with 31% reporting no wastage compared to just 18% in 2002.

However, 80% of Public Sector organisations admitted to wasting up to half of their training budgets on business course drop-outs.

Figures from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Training and Development Survey 2003 revealed that a quarter of public sector training buyers had seen their budgets increase this year. COL said its findings showed that the sector failed to effectively assess training success and budget allocation.

The survey also showed a growing need for flexible management training with the number one reason companies said they avoided putting employees on long-term training courses was that they couldn’t spare people.

David Towler, founder & chief executive officer of COL said the survey results were encouraging, but added: 'I also think it is high time the Education Select Committee which is currently investigating the state of UK skills, included management on its agenda too.'