The new chief executive of
AELP
, the
Association of Employment and Learning Providers
, wants to see all sectors of the UK economy, and businesses of all sizes take on apprentices.
“
AELPmembers are working with over 300,000 employers and many of those are small businesses,” he tells Central Lobby ahead of taking up his post next month.
“SMEs don’t have HR or training specialists so training providers can be that specialist for them.
“It can take time to build trust, and we can make sure that the frameworks that exist can be adapted for the roles the SMEs need.
“That is a skilful balance that providers have to maintain.
“It is a challenge, but we feel that effective management means the frameworks can be adapted for every sector and every size of business.”
Segal, who has worked in the government funded training sector for nearly 20 years in a range of senior executive roles, says his priorities for the coming year include making sure that training providers engage with new industries as well as old.
“We have to be more responsive to the new skills that are required in the economy.
“That has been a problem in the past where it may have been more difficult to change apprenticeship frameworks, so we have got to be faster and more responsive to employers and what they want.”
His first set-piece event will be the
AELPconference in London next month.
The former Dragons’ Den investor, Doug Richard will outline to delegates how they can work with his School for Startups at #
AELP13.
Mr Richard will be taking questions from the audience on his Review of Apprenticeships, a new initiative to help the next generations of entrepreneurs.
“We have established credibility over the last few years for vocational training in particular in the form of the apprenticeship programme,” says Segal.
“From there we will be establishing the vocational route as a real choice for young people.
“There are over half a million apprenticeship starts per year with high achievement rates – 75% - and so we really need to extend the programme by the introduction of traineeship and the continuing development of apprenticeship at higher levels.
“
AELPhas always been a driver of creating a real option in vocational learning in the transition from training to work all the way through to higher level programmes.”
Segal says training providers face “a difficult time because budgets are under pressure”.
“The 2013/14 term starts on 1 August. We have new programmes coming into place for advanced learners, together with the new traineeships.
“So there is a lot of change and training providers have to ensure they meet that challenge.
“Conference is a chance to share those challenges and look forward to the way providers can develop the programme further.”
Matt Hancock, the skills minster, will also attend the conference.
He will deliver a keynote address and take questions from delegates about traineeships and other current issues.
Gordon Marsden, the shadow skills minister, will share the opposition’s view on their skills policy. Delegates will also have their opportunity to put questions to senior representatives of the DWP, EFA, SFA, and UKCES.
Segal says
AELPhas been “encouraged over the past few years” that government sees providers as a real partner in the development of apprenticeships and other schemes.
“We are at the frontline, we understand the needs of employers and learners and we are the organisation that can make policy changes work.
“We understand the pressures on budgets. We have to get maximum value and more ownership for employers and embed the programme into even more employers, particularly SMEs.”
Segal says that apprenticeships are “a real ladder of opportunity, a real entry point into employment but also a way of uprating and updating skills for those already in work”.
“
AELPhas been instrumental in driving that process and giving it credibility,” he explains.
“You need an all-age programme because the understanding of how you deliver apprenticeships needs to be throughout an organisation.
“We get to a point where it takes a period of time for the people in senior positions in organisations to have worked with and experienced apprenticeships for themselves.
“There have been a number of reviews of vocational education and apprenticeships and it will be important for us to ensure that the changes that have been discussed build on the successes of the programme to date.”
AELPNational Conference 2013 ‘Strictly Skills and Employment’ will be held in London on 10 and 11 June.