Feature Training
Are we entering a new era for apprenticeships?
Iain Macdonald, chief executive of NET, discusses how apprenticeships faired last year and his hopes for 2014
induction courses and training pro- grammes, proved to be a blow to the rep- utation of apprenticeships. However, the last 12 months has seen a number of pro- posed changes designed to reinvigorat- ing the apprenticeship brand. In response to the Panorama revela- tions the government launched a series of consultations to review the way apprenticeships are developed and delivered. These aimed to ensure that there was a framework in place to train all apprentices to a level that benefited the businesses who employed them, and justified the financial investment from their employers and the taxpayer. The findings of these reviews will have a serious impact on apprentice- ship provision in this country, and ‘The Future of Apprenticeships in England Implementation Plan’ will be hugely influential to how skills are delivered. Published in October, the plan built on the proposals made by the Richard Review at the end of 2012, and pledged to put employers and industry back in the driving seat when it came to apprenticeship delivery. It was followed by an announcement in December that the government intends to give employers the funding for apprenticeships directly and the power to choose which training provider they work with.
B
The next step These are both very positive develop- ments
for 28 apprenticeships and the
industries which deliver them. The gov- ernment has made a big effort to build
ack in 2012 a Panorama pro- gramme that revealed that some industries had used apprentice- ship funding to pay for
staff
training provision which justifies the time, money and energy invested by all parties in an apprenticeship. However, reforming the apprenticeship system in this country will not be an overnight process, and these consultation findings are just the foundations. The next step, and the challenge for the year ahead, is for industry to develop the government’s initial recommendations into a frame- work that works for everyone involved. Recommendations for the ‘new look’ apprenticeships have been published in the first Trailblazer reports (pre- pared by leading businesses in eight key sectors including electro-techni- cal). As our apprenticeship appears to have been indirectly endorsed by the government as an example of the ‘ideal’, I would hope our current approach doesn’t require too much revision. If it is reviewed, the aspects that have historically played a major part in its success to date must remain in place. One of these is our assessment of competence, the AM2, which is a recognised example of what the gov- ernment wants to see become common- place - an independently administered, end test that has been developed and endorsed by the industry.
Financial backing
Funding is another aspect of the system currently being reviewed. The government has publicly stated its desire to review the manner in which apprenticeships are funded, to ensure that the money invested delivers results. Apprenticeships have histori- cally received a generous public sub- sidy, but at a time when resources are finite, it is only prudent to ensure that this investment is justifiable.
Below: National Electrotechnical Training (NET) is the independent training charity for the UK electrical installation industry
As a result, a review of the size of an employer’s contribution towards the costs of apprenticeship training is a key priority for the government. However, any changes to how appren- ticeships are funded must take into account the fact that the costs of train- ing apprentices vary considerably from sector to sector. A Level 3 con- struction apprentice costs around £26,000 to train over the course of the apprenticeship - (more than twice as much as a Level 3 financial services apprentice) - according to the Warwick Institute for Employment Research. Therefore, when it comes to reviewing the contributions made by employers, the best approach would be to exam- ine each sector’s donation individu- ally. Doing so would take into account the variation in investments made by employers in different industries and not burden companies with excessive costs at a time when the business cli- mate is still tough.
Summary
Any successor to our current appren- ticeship system should take the best elements of the approach we have now and support the development of the next generation of skilled opera- tives. 2014 brings a real opportunity to create a training provision that puts us in a position to make the most of the opportunities brought about by the economic recovery. If we do this, the future for apprentices, our skilled industries and UK plc will be a bright one.
NET
www.netservices.org.uk T: 0207 250 8511
Enter 216 FEBRUARY 2014 Electrical Engineering
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