Ministry of Labour and successors: Training, Registered Files

LAB 18

1922-1980

This series contains files of the training departments of the Ministry of Labour and its successors, relating to government-sponsored training schemes. The files concern the training of juveniles, government-sponsored training schemes for the unemployed and the industrial rehabilitation of the disabled, vocational training schemes, government training centres and a complete set of forms concerning various aspects of training. The series also includes files relating to the Industrial Training Act 1964, the setting-up and composition of the Industrial Training Boards, and files concerned with the administration of government training centres and industrial rehabilitation units. It also contains files relating to the Employment and Training Bill 1972-1973 and subsequent creation of the Training Services Agency.

Papers relating to the training centre at Shepherds Bush, London, are in WORK 23

Public Record(s)

English

1740 file(s)

Open unless otherwise stated

, from 1965

Topics

Labour

Children

Disability

Series is not accruing.

The first Training Department was created in 1919, out of the Civil Demobilisation Resettlement Department, which had been set up to co-ordinate training schemes for ex-service personnel and civilian war workers. In 1929, the Training Department and the Employment Department combined to form the Training and Employment Department, the emphasis from training the war disabled having changed to training for the unemployed. With this merger, the number of training centres, schemes and remit of the department expanded. Much of the department's work dealt with employment matters relating to juveniles.

At the end of the Second World War II, the department assumed responsibility for a variety of facilities and training schemes to assist the demobilised and the disabled. These were later expanded to other sectors of the working population. In 1973 the Manpower Services Commission was set up to develop a comprehensive manpower strategy for Britain. Its responsibilities included the industrial training boards, planning of training services for industry, and advising the secretary of state on employment matters.