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Welcome to the first of our news bulletins. Our official launch takes place on 16 June in London at the HMS Belfast. The day will look at open learning courses for the electricity sector and training programmes to support the acquisition of ISO certification. Enquiries about the launch should be sent to tyla.davis@afaq-eta.com
Education Maintenance Allowance available nationwide Following a pilot stage covering a third of the country, the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) will be available nationwide from September 2004. Pupils across England can now pick up application forms from schools, sixth form colleges or Connexions' branches. All young people from households with incomes of £30,000 or less will be eligible for means-tested EMA payments of between £10 and £30 a week paid directly into their bank accounts in return for strong attendance and commitment.
Delivering skills for sustainable communities A vision to identify and develop the skills needed for prosperous sustainable communities has been published in the form of the Egan Skills Review. The paper calls for a cultural change in the skills, behaviours, knowledge and training of more than 100 occupations involved in delivering sustainable communities.
The centrepiece of the review is a proposal for a National Centre for Sustainable Communities Skills, to develop generic skill sets including leadership, teamwork, communication, project management and partnership working.
The Sector Skills Councils will have a crucial role to play in delivering Egan’s goals, both in establishing the National Centre and in subsequently developing the skills base needed to achieve sustainable communities.
Modern Apprenticeship campaign to target employers A national marketing campaign beginning on 10 May 2004 will encourage employers to create new Modern Apprenticeship opportunities. Currently, demand from young people is three times the level of supply from employers. The marketing campaign, run by the Learning and Skills Council, will involve national television advertising, direct marketing, events, outdoor advertising and public relations. Its overall goal will be to lead to the creation of 28,500 new vacancies and 22,740 new apprentice starts this year.
More young people will get the opportunity to learn skills under
radical reforms to Apprenticeships announced today by Education and Skills
Secretary Charles Clarke and the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown. Announcing the new ‘Young Apprenticeships’ Mr Clarke said that the reforms will be a major boost to business and productivity. Working through the Sector Skills Councils, employers will also be put in the driving seat in terms of the design and development of Apprenticeships. Speaking at the Apprenticeships launch at London’s flagship Selfridges department store with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Education and Skills Secretary Charles Clarke said:
“Apprenticeships are one of the best ways we can fill our skills gaps. They provide young people and adults with an ‘on the job’ training experience which gives them the direct skills needed in the workforce. “I am delighted that many leading businesses are today committing themselves to Apprenticeships. But we need more employers to get involved which is why the Learning and Skills Council is today launching a specific marketing and advertising campaign to get more employers on board.” “The new ‘Young Apprenticeships’ represents one of the most exciting developments for young people since the introduction of GCSEs in 1986 and fits in with Mike Tomlinson’s work on 14-19 reform. It will mean that motivated and able pupils could spend up to two days a week learning ‘on the job’ skills in a workplace. This will be an exciting prospect for any pupil wanting to pursue industry specific vocational programmes on top of the core national curriculum.”
The Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said:
“The Government is strongly committed to expanding and improving the Apprenticeship programme in this country, which will aid the push towards our objective of full employment.”
“Apprenticeships, which were dying a few years ago, have now already risen to 255,500 in England. We must work in partnership - employers, individuals and Government - to ensure that even more businesses and even more young people are benefiting by the end of the decade through this new Apprenticeships offer, which is testament to the growing and central importance of education, training and skills to the whole future of the British economy.”
The reforms will build on the success of Modern Apprenticeships which have seen numbers grow from 75,800 trainees in 1997 to 255,500 today – the highest ever level.
The reforms to Apprenticeships will be backed up by a targeted campaign encouraging more employers to ‘get on board’ and boost the UK’s record number of Apprentices even further. The reforms will deliver a more flexible, stronger Apprenticeship ‘ladder of opportunity’ beginning at the age of 14. These improvements will consist of:
Development work will begin immediately with the licensed Sector Skills Councils.
With demand from young people outstripping the supply of places on offer from employers, the launch will be backed up by a major Learning and Skills Council advertising and marketing campaign targeted at increasing the number of employers offering places.
Charles Clarke added:
“We now have a record 255,500 studying Modern Apprenticeships up from 75,800 trainees in 1997. Although we have around a third of school leavers going on to university people forget that around a quarter of all 16 year olds have at least started a Modern Apprenticeship by 21.”
“Employers need to know that they will now be in the driving seat. Working through Sector Skills Councils, they will now have more input into the design and development of Apprenticeships. They will help develop greater ‘portability’ so that an Apprentice can take a part completed Apprenticeship with them if they move employer. This is exactly the sort of flexibility that employers have been crying out for - and we have responded.”
Bryan Sanderson, Chairman of the Learning and Skills Council said:
“A recent survey by the Learning and Skills Council showed that 44% of organisations who reported skills shortages, said they lost business as a result. There is no excuse for a poorly trained workforce. Apprenticeships provide businesses with the solution they need to thrive in the 21st century. I hope many employers respond to this ‘call to arms’ and join the Apprenticeships revolution. We now have a real chance to remove the skills deficit and improve productivity.” The Apprenticeship Task Force welcomed the improved Apprenticeships programme. Sir Roy Gardner, Apprenticeship Task Force Chairman and Chief Executive of Centrica plc, said: "A record number of young people are making an enhanced contribution to their employers' success by raising their skill levels, motivation and productivity. We want to encourage more business leaders to consider the value Apprenticeships would bring to their businesses." The Learning and Skills Council working with employer organisations will drive forward the new reforms to make sure they are fit for purpose and meet employers’ needs. The Learning and Skills Council will:
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