The implications of the National Minimum Wage for training practices and skill utilisation in the UK hospitality industry

Gill Christy, Stephen Williams, D. Adam-Smith

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Two key issues thrown up by the 1999 introduction of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in the United Kingdom are its likely impact on employers’ training practices in low paying sectors of the economy and the implications for skills. Based on a study of the hospitality industry, this article assesses the limited significance of the differential, ‘subminimum’ NMW rates as devices for promoting skills development and considers the absence of any direct impact on training practices of the statutory floor of wages in general. The weaknesses of a policy framework dominated by a supply-side ethos in which the importance of incentives for employers to provide training and employment opportunities is prioritised, rather than one in which an opportunity is taken to use the NMW as part of a wider strategy to generate greater demand for skills in low-paying industries are attested.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)351-368
    Number of pages18
    JournalJournal of Vocational Education & Training
    Volume55
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2003

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'The implications of the National Minimum Wage for training practices and skill utilisation in the UK hospitality industry'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this