ADULT APPRENTICESHIP GROWTH MUST BE SUSTAINED

Statistics show that the Government has delivered 103,000 additional adult apprenticeship entrants over the 2010-11 financial year, following an announcement in May 2010 that it intended to deliver 50,000 additional places. Watson comments: “This is fantastic news which shows there is a real appetite among adult learners to take on vocational training and boost their skills and job prospects. However, the Government must ensure that it continues to promote skilled vocational training and not rest on its laurels, otherwise vital sectors such as engineering or manufacturing could still face a critical skills shortage in years to come. The recent introduction of the NUS Apprentice Card is promising sign of a commitment to encouraging people to take up apprenticeships and place vocational education on an equal footing with traditional degrees. However, the Government also must ensure that it supports smaller businesses so that they can afford to invest in an apprentice and that it is not just large firms that benefit from Government funded training places.”