This is your Best Apprenticeships weekly news roundup 21/03/19…
Apprenticeship impacts.
Director of Apprenticeships, Education & Skills Funding Keith Smith writes in OpenAccessGov, “Two years ago, the government reinvigorated the apprenticeship system, following feedback from employers that apprenticeships were too short, with not enough off-the-job training and not focused on occupational competency.”
His positive appraisal of the last two years focuses on the new set of apprenticeship standards and a focus on the apprenticeship Levy. Both of which have put businesses back at the helm of apprenticeships, creating a system that works for people and employers.
Diversity targets unmet.
FEnews reports that with only a month to go until the government’s self-imposed diversity goal of ‘increasing BAME uptake by 20%’ there is still a way to go to meet that target.
The figures show that more efforts are required to make those who may not feel inspired, or simply disenfranchised, disrespected and disempowered by the job market, aware of apprenticeships.
As well as the government’s self-imposed targets being missed, it also means not enough businesses are successfully using apprenticeships to diversify their workforces.
Record high employment.
The UK’s record jobs market continued into 2019 with 473,000 more people in work in January compared to a year ago, while the UK’s employment rate reached an all-time high of 76.1%.
Despite missing apprenticeship employment targets, the report claims: “investing in the infrastructure, training and apprenticeships we need for our future, with public investment at the highest sustained level in 40 years” as a key factor in the record breaking figures.
Feeling inspired? If you haven’t already, why not check out our current apprenticeship roles.
