Recommendation 20

DfE carries out an employer skills survey every two years. These surveys indicate that the average amount per employee that employers spent on training fell, in real terms, from £1,710 in 2011 to £1,530 in 2019. The 2021 survey suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic had amplified the decline in workforce training, especially among smaller and medium- sized businesses. It found that, overall, 52% of the total workforce had received training during the year, which was the lowest proportion since the first employer skills survey in