Further Education - Apprenticeships
A personalised post card is being sent to each MP explaining the Power of Print, describing the benefits of apprenticeships and asking MPs to support their local printing industry. Kathy Woodward praised the investment that Precision Printing has made in terms of equipment, and Systems Development and their long term commitment to training and development. Stephen Metcalf commented that as both an MP and having grown up in his own family printing business he fully supported the important role that apprenticeships play in developing a wide spectrum of employees from 16 year old new recruits to higher level management qualifications. "The Printing and Associated Media industries are at the forefront of technology and have exciting career opportunities. It is important that the 140k plus employees in the sector have access to quality training that equips them for the fast changing environment they work in. I am delighted to support National Apprentice Week.” National Apprenticeship Week 2012 was a real success, thanks to an unprecedented level of support from its partners and customers. Every year the Week, which is designed to celebrate Apprenticeships and their positive impact, increases in popularity. This year was no exception with more than 800 events and activities on offer across England from 6-10 February – a new record - and an impressive increase of 300 on last year. A huge amount of positive media interest was generated, with National Apprenticeship Week 2012, one of the UK’s top 10 discussed Twitter topics. Simon Waugh, Chief Executive of NAS, said: “National Apprenticeship Week is a time to celebrate the countless achievements of apprentices and employers, and to call on more organisations and individuals to get involved. “We are delighted that so many individuals and organisations supported our campaign and would like to say a huge thank you to everyone for all their help and support in making National
Apprenticeship Week 2012 such a phenomenal success.”
The Week got off to a fantastic start with an online good luck message from the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and a day of radio interviews supported by Skills Minister John Hayes and Apprenticeship employers Starbucks, The Co- operative Group, MBDA and FCO. This was followed by the Prime Minister David Cameron announcing more Higher Apprenticeships and the official launch of an incentive of £1,500 for small firms who hire their first young apprentices (which
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increasing at a record rate, with improvements across the age range, in all sectors, throughout the country.
"By making Apprenticeships a gold standard option for ambitious young people, we are sending a message that technical excellence is as highly valued as academic prowess. And by focusing investment where it is most needed to deliver sustainable growth, we are equipping businesses with the skills they need to rebalance our economy and distribute opportunity more widely."
Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I'm delighted to underline our commitment to strengthen our economy by helping employers take on apprentices and ensure that the UK workforce has the skills that businesses need.
will be known as AGE 16 to 24). During the Week the new marketing campaign, a ‘new era for Apprenticeships’ was launched at a parliamentary reception and its six stars were revealed – all past and current apprentices from Incommunities, Bluefin, Jelson Homes, SEC Recruitment, Bentley and BT.
Investing in the future
Recent reforms to the Apprenticeships programme include measures to raise quality standards, cut bureaucracy for employers and deliver more advanced training at ‘A’ level equivalent and above.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I'm delighted to underline our commitment to strengthen our economy by helping employers take on apprentices and ensure that the UK workforce has the skills that businesses need. Under this Government Apprenticeship starts are
Three-Fifths of Apprenticeship Applicants are Women
According to site statistics released by a leading UK post-school careers specialists, 60% of those searching for apprenticeship roles in the past 12 months were female; with a 500% rise in the number of apprenticeship and vocational training opportunities becoming available in the past year.
The statistics, released by
www.NotGoingtoUni.co.uk, show how the UK apprenticeship scene has changed over the past 12 months alone; with significant growth noted in both the numbers of apprenticeship roles available, as well as the numbers of female applicants.
When comparing the number of apprenticeship and vocational training opportunities available through the site in 2010, 2011 saw a 500% increase in the number of apprenticeship and vocational training roles listed by UK companies on-site; rising rapidly from 1,200 opportunities in 2010 to 6,000 in 2011. Furthermore, the past 12 months have seen women dominate the numbers of applicants applying for apprenticeship roles on-site, comprising 60% of applicants; suggesting a
growing trend amongst women seeking vocational training and qualifications. Comparably, in 2010, female applicants via the site comprised 49%.
Specifically, the site has noted a 33% increase in the number of women applying for apprenticeships within mechanical/ engineering sectors on-site over the past 12 months; sectors which have typically been more popular with male applicants in the past.
The site has also revealed the ‘apprenticeship hotspots’ around the UK; the locations around the UK with the most apprenticeship and vocational training opportunities available on-site: 1. London 2. Manchester 3. Birmingham 4. Bristol 5. Glasgow
Spencer Mehlman, Managing Director of
NotGoingtoUni.co.uk, commented on the statistics: “The UK apprenticeship scene has certainly seen rapid growth over the past few years, and with rising University fees making
higher education unaffordable for many, apprenticeships and vocational training options are an increasingly attractive prospect. The fact that we’ve seen such a leap in the amount of women applying for apprenticeships via the site in the past 12 months alone is testament to changing attitudes towards vocational training; what was once seen as a typically male option for many, is now not the case.
“This is also shown in the numbers of women applying for traditional ‘male’ roles in engineering and mechanics. With so many apprenticeship options now available and employment prospects difficult, gender stereotypes are on their way out.”
He continued: “We’ve seen a huge leap in the number of apprenticeship and vocational training opportunities available in the past 12 months alone, and we expect this to continue. University is becoming increasingly unaffordable, and with the job scene gloomier than ever,
apprenticeships are a great answer to any young person keen to set foot on the career ladder. We certainly expect next year’s National Apprenticeship Week to be bigger than ever.”
Skills Minister John Hayes said: “Clarity of policy and certainly of purpose in Government has delivered a record number of Apprenticeships and driven up standards at every level. We must now go further to create new pathways to excellence for the brightest and best young people. Our mission is to put practical training on a level playing field with academic study, creating a highly skilled, creative workforce that can take on the best in the world.”
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Data released on 31 January confirms record growth in Apprenticeship starts, with some 457,200 starting an Apprenticeship in the full 2010/11 academic year. This represents a 63.5 per cent increase on 2009/10 figures. Growth took place at all levels of learning, for all age groups, and across all sectors and all regions. According to the National Audit Office, every £1 of public investment in Apprenticeships delivers a return of £18 to the wider economy.
March 2012
www.education-today.co.uk
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