College catering courses for adults are under the threat of funding reductions as the Government looks to tighten its belt in order to help decrease the budget deficit.

It has been indicated that there will be a £200 million drop in Government expenditure on adult learning. Vocational courses are expected to be hardest hit and those involved in catering courses are therefore anticipating cuts in the range of 16%.

The Association of Colleges (AoC) has reported that 63% of the 147 colleges that offer courses in catering to adults will be facing budget reductions of over 20% and are appealing to Alistair Darling to reverse the decision.

The Government are effectively placing greater pressure on businesses to provide the requisite training for workers either through apprenticeships or whilst on the job.

The decision has come under fire from a number of industry experts saying that the thinking behind it is nonsensical. Julian Gravatt, AoC assistant chief executive, said: “We know that the Treasury is under significant pressure to further curtail public spending but cutting courses that are so essential to our recovery is a false economy.”

This would appear to be the case, as investment in vocational skills is essential to the future of the UK economy. The Government may save £200 million in the short-term, but the effects of this decision on the economy as a whole will not be fully realised until a later stage when a skills shortage will invariable create significant problems.

Posted by Matt on the 24th March 2010