Research and analysis

Continuing vocational training survey (CVTS4) report

Findings from a survey exploring the type and amount of vocational (occupational) training provision. BIS research paper number 102.

Documents

Continuing vocational training survey: CVTS4

Continuing vocational training survey: CVTS4 - data tables

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Continuing vocational training survey: CVTS4 - data charts

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Details

This report analyses the UK findings from the 4th round of the European Union ‘Continuing vocational training survey’ (CVTS4). It looks at trends in vocational training provision over time. The survey is conducted across 29 European countries every five years.

‘Continuing vocational training’ (CVT) is defined as pre-arranged training at least partially funded by the organisation, or training that took place during employee’s paid working time.

Key findings

The report identifies consistencies and key themes in the data and suggests underlying explanations and connections between them:

  • larger organisations are more likely than smaller ones to offer CVT, and to have the organisational structure to support the training
  • financial services and public sectors, which are dominated by large businesses and organisations, are more likely to train their staff than those in production and construction sectors that have smaller organisations
  • on average, men spent slightly more time on CVT courses than women, which can be explained by the significant gender imbalance in the production and construction sectors, and the fact that health and safety and environmental matters are of more relevance to manual and technical occupations mainly held by men
  • mandatory training was a significant component of all CVT provision, which could be explained by the UK’s ‘licence to practice’ approach, creating an overall greater volume of training
  • private training companies are used by nearly twice as many employers as public training institutions such as further education colleges and universities
  • barriers to training were mainly demand factors: employers did not perceive a need for training or were unwilling to pay its costs in time or cash outlay

This report analyses the UK findings only from the CVTS4. The statistical office of the European Commission (Eurostat) will publish international comparisons when all participating countries have reported.

See also the underlying data for the tables and charts in this report.

Updates to this page

Published 14 February 2013

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