Training providers have become the latest group to be hit by the downturn, with the CIRIA one of several bodies cutting programmes sharply

Tony O鈥橲hea, the CIRIA鈥檚 membership director, said low demand had forced the industry research organisation to run fewer courses on 鈥渘on-business-critical topics鈥�. He added that he could not guarantee that courses advertised on the website would go ahead.

Although O鈥橲hea would not comment on the number of programmes cancelled, Alex Woodcraft, who was training manager at the CIRIA until being laid off in March, said they had been reduced 鈥渇rom 12 to two鈥�.

The development of new courses is also on hold. Woodcraft, who was responsible for this, built up an operation worth between 拢250,000 and 拢300,000. He said: 鈥淟ast year we did really well, but in the past six months nearly nobody has come to an event. We ran a few at a loss.鈥�

Other providers have also been affected. Lucy Pedlar runs the Green Register, which offers training and networking events for architects. She said her organisation, too, had been forced to cancel courses.

There has been a natural downturn in training, which is to be expected

Chris Broadbent, BRE

鈥淧eople are pulling training budgets to save on resources. The numbers have tended to be smaller and we have had to cancel some events.鈥�

She added: 鈥淭hey are missing opportunities to find quiet times to train people up.鈥�

Chris Broadbent, director of training for BRE, oversees a wide variety of training programmes, but he said firms were cutting back on training budgets.

He said: 鈥淢ost training in recent years has been for energy assessors. There has been a natural downturn, which is to be expected. But we are seeing people seeking to learn new skills to become more employable.鈥�

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