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Government may miss apprenticeship target

Government plans to increase apprentice numbers by 2020 will fail, according to training providers and businesses with training academies in England.

WEB.600.2As 16 year olds receive their GSCE results last week, research just published has revealed some scepticism as to whether the government’s new plans to increase apprentice numbers will succeed as planned.

The research showed that FE colleges and businesses believe that they will struggle to recruit the numbers and quality of apprentices that are needed to sustain economic growth over the next five years with education cuts, poor careers advice, and schools keeping pupils on longer to maintain funding are all identified as contributing factors.

The survey, which was conducted by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) found that the majority of training providers welcomed the Government’s ambition to increase apprenticeships to 3 million, but feared that other policies will make it impossible to achieve. The IMI represents the £152 billion a year retail motor industry, which needs 12,000 apprentices a year to stand still.

78% of respondents said that careers advice, which has been provided in schools on an ad hoc basis since 2012, is unhelpful at best. Only 10% think that advice offered by the National Careers Service has any impact on apprentice recruitment.

Anecdotal evidence collected as part of the survey points to a lack of understanding in schools of the technical and academic requirements of an apprenticeship.

For example, 84% said that most applicants do not have the required academic grades. Most businesses reported that the employability of prospective trainees sent to them by schools was poor, with many saying that they would rather employ migrant workers than take on an apprentice.

All respondents agreed that the current situation is set to get much worse now that the education participation age has been raised to 18 in England. It is not widely understood by parents or young people that this is not restricted to school, and apprentice trainers report that schools are hoarding students and withholding information about vocational training at 16.

Steve Nash
Steve Nash

IMI CEO Steve Nash, said; “With funding for education set to be squeezed, employers and training providers in the motor industry are voicing fears that they will lose out in the race for the best learners. Schools will seek to keep as many ‘paying’ students in 6th form as possible. They need only to ration information about alternatives and the already small talent pool available to fill apprenticeship vacancies will be drained.

“The Government has pledged to increase the number of apprenticeships to 3 million by 2020, but with skills shortages starting to appear in every sector of the economy this looks like a conservative ambition. The leaving age problem raises serious questions over its ability to hit even this target without investing in a serious careers advice programme, which it is currently refusing to do.”

Clonezone and Ku Bar support Prostate Cancer UK

Clonezone and Soho based Ku Bar join forces to raise funds and awareness for Prostate Cancer UK and launch Project SOAKED, the brain child of photographer Mark Lister.

Project Soaked

Project SOAKED is a visual venture from the award-winning photographer, showcasing striking portraits in a calendar and hard back photo book of men amidst a downpour of water.

Lister launched the project to raise awareness of Prostate Cancer with all proceeds going to Prostate Cancer UK.

SOAKED is a non-profit organisation whose purpose is to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK and educate men on Prostate Cancer, including how to examine themselves.

Andrew Haydn-Smith

Actor, TV presenter and winner of Celebrity Rising Star at the British LGBT Awards, Andrew Hayden-Smith will be playing an exclusive DJ set to entertain London’s glitterati and the models featured in the project who will also be present.

The evening will mark the launch of the limited edition calendar and book which will be available exclusively in Clonezone stores across the country.

To book the calendar online, click here:

Clonezone’s marketing manager Topher Taylor, said: “It’s important to us to support Project Soaked and assist Mark in his efforts to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK.”

“We’ve found as a company that a surprisingly low-number of men know the basic facts of Prostate Cancer, including not knowing how to examine themselves for symptoms. We are excited to build a long-term relationship with Project Soaked, with 100% of proceeds from the calendar going directly to the cause”.

The event will take place at Ku Bar, the award winning gay bar on Lisle Street in the centre of London’s Soho on August 29, from 8pm

For more information about the project, click here:

Follow on Twitter: @ProjectSoaked


Event: Clonezone and Ku Bar present the launch of Mark Lister’s Project Soaked

Where: 30 Lisle Street, WC2H 7BA

When: Saturday, August 29

Time: 8pm

 

 

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