Graduates could soon benefit from the right to request time off work to train if their employer is not providing the right opportunities to improve their skills.

John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, has published a consultation into how a new training entitlement will work and challenged employers who offer no staff training.

One third of employers do not train their staff and eight million employees receive no kind of training at all every year, and ministers believe a legal right to request time to train will help ensure that training is taken seriously by all employers.

The planned new entitlement will apply to all employees who have worked for their employer for 26 weeks - estimated to apply to 22 million employees in England when the legislation comes into effect in 2010. It means graduates who feel they have not been given the training they need when they stated their career will be able to ask for time off to gain the skills they need to progress.

Mr Denham said: "Investment in skills is key to ensuring we come through with a stronger economy and making sure individuals can make the most of their abilities.

"But we have still not persuaded every employer of the importance of skills. A third of employers still don't train their staff. In other organisations training does not involve everyone. The employers who do not train run real risks with their businesses. Public services who do not train will struggle to provide the quality of service that the taxpayer expects.

"We need to find new ways to bring the drive for skills into every workplace and to every worker which is why we are consulting on a new right for workers to request time to train."

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development welcomed the proposal, but warned that employers must be able to decline requests that do not meet business needs.

John McGurk, CIPD Skills Adviser, said: "The 'light touch' right to request approach has worked well with flexible working, for both employers and employees. Four out of five such requests are accepted by employers, who are in turn experiencing a higher level of employee engagement and motivation from their growing flexible workforces.

“However, it is important that we do not lose sight of the fact that training is a two-way street. It is of benefit to the learner, but must also contribute to meeting the business needs of the employer. If this test is not met, the employer must be able to decline requests for training."