31/01/2012

Govt Reveals 63% Increase In Apprenticeships

The Government has published statistics which they say show some 457,200 apprenticeship starts were delivered in the 2010 to 11 academic year, representing a 63.5% increase on the previous year.

A spokesman from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills said the increases had taken place at all levels of learning, for all age groups, and across all sectors and all regions.

Skills Minister John Hayes said: “Clarity of policy, strength of commitment and certainty of purpose has delivered record numbers of apprenticeship starts, outstanding success rates and growth across all sectors.

“Thousands of higher apprenticeships will open up new pathways to excellence for the brightest and best learners. A zero tolerance approach to unnecessary red tape, and new financial incentives for small firms will enable more employers to offer gold standard training to match and beat our international competitors.”

However, despite welcoming the increase in apprenticeships, the Government has been criticised as using the sector to cover up the rise in youth unemployment.

Speaking to employment group FE Week, Chief Executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, Graham Hoyle, said: “We’re in a position now where jobs are simply not being created. So demographically, it’s bound to happen.”

(DW)

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