Government calls for an expansion in Apprenticeship numbers

A future Conservative government would use £1bn in welfare cuts to fund 3 million new Apprenticeships by 2020. Jobseekers aged 18-21 who fail to find a job or an Apprenticeship after six months will be forced to perform community work.

In order for this aspiration to be delivered many more employers will need to offer a large number of Apprenticeships to young people.

In 2013-14 432,400 people started Apprenticeships a drop in numbers of 13%.

The Government wishes to see a significant expansion in the numbers of young people on Apprenticeship programmes in the future. However, they are currently proposing a raft of reforms to Apprenticeship programmes and the way the funding is operated.

The new skills minister, Nick Boles, has admitted that he is nervous about some aspects of the proposed reforms. Contrary to a lot of peoples understanding, an Apprenticeship is a job with training, whereby the employer pays the Apprentices wages. The new reforms propose that employers should not only pay the wages but also contribute an additional cash amount towards the costs of delivering an Apprenticeship.

Mr Boles is worried about the impact the new reforms may have on employers who do not currently offer Apprenticeships. Mr Boles said “I am nervous about the idea of an obligation to put in cash”.

Employers already contribute hugely to the costs of delivering Apprenticeship, in particular the on the job training they provide.

For an increase in Apprenticeship numbers to take place, employers will need incentives to take part. There is currently an incentive for employers to take on an Apprentice in the form of an Apprenticeship Grant to Employers (AGE).

Intec can arrange these grants on behalf of eligible employers for more information call 0808 100 1155.