Training, enterprise and business development

The creation of a network of Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) was proposed in December 1988 by the then Secretary of State for Employment, Norman Fowler. In a ´call to arms´, he challenged business leaders to come together within their local communities to establish TECs and to bring a private sector focus to local training and enterprise provision which, until then, had been co-ordinated by the Employment Department through the local Area Boards of the Training Agency. Using Kent and Kent TEC by way of illustration, this paper outlines the history of TECs in general and shows how their activities and those of their partner organisations-especially Business Links-have become increasingly important in local economic regeneration and development