Even more people will get an opportunity to earn while they learn, after more than 20,000 new apprenticeships have been pledged by employers as part of National Apprenticeship Week.
From Lloyds Banking Group committing to hiring 5,000 apprentices, Greene King and Whitbread pledging 2,000 a piece and EE, Mitchells and Butlers and Starbucks each announcing 1,000 vacancies, announcements have been made by hundreds of businesses around the country.
And it’s not just big corporates that are showing their commitment to apprenticeships – 47% of the employers creating new apprenticeships are small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Smaller organisations announcing plans to take on apprentices include Cambridgeshire retailer Crafting Time, Kent web designers Interactive Red, London charity Knives Not Lives, Grimsby electrical contractors HYBRiD, Oldham construction firm Emanuel Whittaker and Penzance customer services company TR18 Contact.
Other companies that have pledged new apprenticeships include BT, ITV, Network Rail, Be Wiser Insurance, Central Bedfordshire Council, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Ashtead Plant Hire, Southend Citizen Advice Bureau and Virgin Media. Meanwhile, Capita Personal Independence Payment have pledged to make 5% of its non-healthcare workforce apprentices and launched a drive to hire more disabled young people onto apprenticeships.
And National Apprenticeship Week has also seen a boost to the new traineeships, which give young people the work preparation training, English, maths and work experience they need to get an apprenticeship or other job.
Employers including the BBC and Port of Tilbury have pledged to give more young people traineeships – as have Liverpool Football Club through a partnership with Myerscough College. Meanwhile, Westminster Kingsway College has launched a new Parliamentary Traineeship programme so 16 to 23 year olds can get a chance to gain experience in the corridors of power.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said:
The government is putting an end to the damaging divide between vocational and academic learning. We are committing the biggest ever investment in apprenticeships and are on track to create 2 million apprenticeships over the course of this parliament.
The resounding success of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week demonstrates that apprenticeships are deservedly becoming more popular with business of all sizes. Apprentices already contribute £1.8 billion to the economy and with these further commitments, thousands more people will now be able to get the practical skills they need to build careers and help firms grow.
Today’s (7 March 2014) announcement follows new research revealing that nearly half (44%) of employers intend to take on 1 or more apprentice in the next 5 years. And research from the Association of Accounting Technicians revealed that apprentices delivered around £1.8 billion of net economic benefits to UK organisations in the last year.
The week has also seen the prime minister announce the government’s commitment to creating 2 million apprenticeships over the lifetime of the current parliament. David Cameron also announced the next round of trailblazer employers; 29 new groups of employers who will lead the transformation of apprenticeships. The new trailblazers, spanning sectors from accountancy to aviation, nursing to retail, include small businesses and sector specialists as well as some big names such as Tata Steel, John Lewis, British Airways and BMW.
Other announcements during the week included the launch of new higher, degree level, apprenticeships in space engineering and nursing. And to help bring more SME employers on board, further support has been announced including a new online mentoring service, Apprenticemakers. Meanwhile, the AvLive feed of vacancies which training providers and partners can use to promote apprenticeship vacancies has been upgraded following a successful 6-month testing period.
Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock MP said:
We want to make going to university or into an apprenticeship the new norm, and over half of young people say they would like to do an apprenticeship if one were available. So it’s great that as National Apprenticeship Week 2014 comes to a close we can announce that 20,432 new positions are to be created.
In order to give young people the best chance possible of securing an Apprenticeship or job and unlock their potential, we need to help them become work-ready. The new traineeships will be crucial to that.
Apprenticeships are delivering for employers, young people, adults and the economy and are increasing at a record rate. Nearly every employer that takes on an apprentice reports benefits to their business, including the ability to grow their own talents.
Now in its seventh year, National Apprenticeship Week is designed to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy. The overarching theme for 2014 has been Great Apprenticeships, to demonstrate that apprenticeships are great for business and personal careers and create opportunities for both employers and apprentices.
Visit apprenticeships.org.uk or https://bitly.com/Traineeships2014 for more information.
Notes to Editors
1.The ‘20,000 apprenticeships pledged’ figure is sourced from monitoring press coverage during National Apprenticeship Week, through press releases sent to National Apprenticeship Service and registrations on the National Apprenticeship Service Pledgeometer.
2.Employers pledging Apprenticeships:
The Centre for Mineral Products Professional Development
A.P. Broome Landscapes Limited
Accord Group
Adatis Consulting Ltd
ADI
Affinity Sutton
Ageing in Great Britain CIC
Aim High Training Solutions Ltd
Anchor
Anglian Water
Aon
Aquafax
Ashtead Plant Hire
Atkins
Atos
aVida Care Ltd
Babcock International
Balfour Beatty
Barlows (UK) Ltd
Barratt Developments PLC
Be Training Academy Ltd
Be Wiser Insurance
Becton Dickinson UK Ltd
Belvior Lettings
Benslow Music Trust
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
Blackpool Council
Bolton Council
Boots
Bradleys Estate Agents
Brent Council
Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival
British Airways
10Brooklyn House
Brunelcare
BT plc
Bury Council
Capita Talent Partnerships
Carlisle City Council
Casgo Connections Ltd
Caterpillar
Central Bedfordshire Council
Central Training Academy
Centro
Chartered Institute of Legal Executives
Cheeky Munkey
Cheshire West and Chester Council
Chevron Traffic Management
Claremont PR
Clarkson Evans
Clocktower
Compass Group UK and Ireland
Covea Insurance
Crafting Time Ltd
Cumbria County Council
Dale Power Solutions Ltd
Danbro
Dance East
Dataflow Peripherals
Days Lettings
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Defence Support International
DEG Signal Ltd
Derby Homes
Derry Building Services
DKFS Training Ltd
e2v
EE
Emanuel Whittaker
Enable
esg.
Everton in the Community
Farmfoods Limited
Fisher Management
Frankie and Benny’s
Fujitsu
Full Circle Learning
Futures Housing Group
Gestamp Tallent Ltd
Ginger Nut Media
Gist Limited
Glotech
Greene King
GSK
GSM England Retail UK
Hailey Hall School
Hayward Tyler Limited
HBP Systems Ltd
Henley College Coventry
Heritage Foundation
Hertfordshire County Council
Hopwood Hall College
HYBRiD (Grimsby) Ltd
IBM UK Ltd
IMPACT Apprenticeships
Interactive Red
ITV
J Murphy and Sons Ltd
James Paget University Hospital
Kingswood
KLM UK Engineering Limited
KMF
Kruger Associates Ltd
Kustom Clothing
La Bote
Lafarge Tarmac
Laing O’Rourke
Lakefield Foods
Lancashire County Council
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Learning Unlimited
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Leicester City Council
LIVES NOT KNIVES
Lloyds Banking Group
Lucy Glyn Support Services Ltd
Mainstay Group Ltd
Mayor of London
McCann Manchester
Meroncourt
Merseylink CJV
Milton Keynes Service Partnership LLP
Mitchells and Butlers
Morecare Ltd
MPR Music Production
National Sales Academy
Nemco
Network Rail
New Charter Housing Trust Group
New Wolsey Theatre
Next Retail Ltd
NG Bailey
Nominet
Nomura International PLC
Norbert Dentressangle
North Hertfordshire College
North Hertfordshire District Council
North Lincolnshire Homes
Northumberland County Council
Not Going to Uni
Nottingham City Council
Nyama
O2
Paneltex Limited
Paxman Landscapes Uk Ltd
PHOENIX Medical Supplies Ltd/ Rowlands Pharmacy
Pinnacle Support
Pixel by pixel
Plymouth Apprenticeship Company
Plymouth City Council
Portmill Surgery
Pursuit Training
Quite Great Limited
Redrow Homes
Reed NCFE
Richard Ward Hair and Metrospa
RNLI
Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Rotherham NHS
Rugged and Tough Ltd
Sanctuary Personnel
Santander UK
Sarah Hodge Hairdressing Group
Scientifica Ltd
SCWS Limited
Selco Trade Centres
Sequence
Serco Vocational Services
Severn Trent Water
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHSFT
Silver Trowel Ltd
Skill-serve Training Ltd
Smiths Row
South Glos Council
South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Southampton Solent University
Southend CAB
South West Trains
Stafford College
Starbucks Coffee Company
Stronghold International Ltd
Syngenta
TCA Lifting Ltd
TES2000 LTD
Thames Water Utilities Limited
The apprentice agency
The College of West Anglia
The Flying Music Company Limited
The ITP
The Juice Academy
The Manufacturing Technology Centre
The Red Lion
The Sanctuary Group
The Social Resource Centre Ltd
The Walton Centre FT NHS
The Way Ahead Training and Consultancy Ltd
Thompson and First Choice
Timico Ltd
TMB Patterns Limited
TNT Post
TR18Contact
Trade and Discount Signs
Transport for London
Travelodge
UKFast
United Utilities
Virgin Media
Walsall Works programme
Walter Smith Fine Foods Ltd
Warren Services
Warwickshire County Council
Way ahead Care
way Homecare
West Notts College
Wheatfield Surgery
Whitbread
William Hill
WSP
York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Yorkshire Housing
YPO
3.National Apprenticeship Service
The National Apprenticeship Service supports and co-ordinates the delivery of apprenticeships and traineeships throughout England.
It is responsible for increasing the number of apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities and providing a dedicated, responsive service for both employers and learners. This includes simplifying the process of recruiting an apprentice or trainee through apprenticeship vacancies, an online system where employers can advertise their vacancies and potential apprentices or trainees can apply.
Apprenticeships bring considerable value to organisations, employers, individuals and the economy. Businesses across the country are increasingly realising the enormous benefits that apprenticeships create, not only in terms of developing a highly skilled workforce but also by boosting productivity and staff retention.
Research shows that apprenticeships are an optimal way of training, developing and skilling people for the future, helping businesses to secure a supply of people with the skills and qualities they need and which are often not available on the external job market.
A traineeship is an education and training programme with a work placement that is focused on giving young people the skills and experience that employers are looking for. At its core are work preparation training, English and maths for those who need it, and a high quality work experience placement.
Traineeships are for young people aged 16 to 23 who are motivated to get a job but who lack the skills and experience that employers are looking for. Traineeships prepare young people for their future careers by helping them to become ‘work ready’. They give young people the skills and experience to be able to compete for an apprenticeship or other job.
Traineeships are a stepping stone to future success for young people, businesses and the wider economy.
There has never been a better time to employ an apprentice, or start an apprenticeship.
Visit apprenticeships.org.uk or call 08000 150 600 to find out more.
4.Skills Funding Agency
The Skills Funding Agency is a partner organisation of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Its job is to fund and promote adult further education (FE) and skills training in England, including traineeships and apprenticeships, in a way which supports economic growth. The agency delivers £4.1 billion of skills training through contracts with over 1,000 colleges, private training organisations and employers, with a highly effective supply chain that means FE meets local need in the most cost-effective way.
Within the Skills Funding Agency, there are 2 customer-facing services: the National Apprenticeship Service, which is responsible for increasing the number of traineeship and apprenticeship opportunities, and the National Careers Service, which provides impartial careers information, advice and guidance online, by telephone or face-to-face.
5.The government’s economic policy objective is to achieve ‘strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries’. It set 4 ambitions in the ‘Plan for Growth’, published at Budget 2011:
to create the most competitive tax system in the G20
to make the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business
to encourage investment and exports as a route to a more balanced economy
to create a more educated workforce that is the most flexible in Europe
Work is underway across government to achieve these ambitions, including progress on more than 250 measures as part of the Growth Review. Developing an Industrial Strategy gives new impetus to this work by providing businesses, investors and the public with more clarity about the long-term direction in which the government wants the economy to travel.