ACCA reminds policymakers – modern apprenticeships mean more than just hard hats and hi-vis jackets

Sarah Hathaway, ACCA’s Head of Policy for Western Europe said:

“It is crucial that apprenticeships don’t come to be synonymous with cheap labour but offer a full range of opportunity for young people across every industry, sector and career type.

“Photo opportunities are great for raising awareness, but young people and their parents need to be made aware that modern apprenticeships mean more than just hard hats and hi-vis jackets. Every sector of the economy can benefit from talented young people through offering apprenticeship schemes.”

ACCA has used today’s speech to call for a Minister for Social Mobility to be appointed, with the specific remit of ensuring schemes like this one from the Labour Party are truly open to all.

“There are too many stories of young people forced to rely on financial support from their parents in order to undertake apprenticeships, especially in London.

“No young person should be put at a disadvantage by his or her background when it comes to securing an apprenticeship. A key responsibility of a new Minister for Social Mobility would be to ensure all apprenticeship schemes offered by UK businesses were fair and open to all.