Reforms ‘endanger apprenticeships success’

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers( AELP) said it wants to see changes that build on the success of the current programme.

AELPCEO Stewart Segal told delegates today at the ‘Apprenticeship Debate’ conference in London that providers shared the objectives of greater employer engagement and simplification of the programme but some of the current proposals would not deliver these objectives.

“We already have an apprenticeship programme with strong employer commitment and high quality delivery,” Segal told the conference.

“It works for all ages, in all sectors and at different levels of vocational learning – generating high satisfaction rates among employers and apprentices.”

The proposal to fund employers directly through an HMRC system could cause major disruption by creating barriers to entry for small and medium sized businesses who won’t want to deal with the resulting bureaucracy and complexity, AELPhas warned.

Instead, employers should have the freedom to choose the way they fund their Apprenticeship programme should be extended. For example, give more employers the choice of direct government funding or working with their chosen training provider.

Apprentice training providers are also warning that compulsory cash contributions from employers could put off those employers that only have a small number of apprentices. The majority of apprentices work for employers with one or two apprentices.

The proposed funding changes will also have a negative effect on the recruitment of 16 to 18 year old apprentices.

The government has already said that it may need a different system to manage funding for the ‘smallest’ employers and AELPbelieves this should apply to all those employers that have low numbers of apprentices as they will not want the associated administration.

Segal commented: “There is certainly more to do but the reforms as currently proposed could endanger the success and hard won credibility of apprenticeships. Therefore we need a genuine partnership approach between government, employers, providers and others to secure further growth in the programme.”

The government will shortly be publishing a technical consultation on the reforms. AELPsaid that consultation has to look at these and many other funding issues such as the overall management of apprenticeships budget if the funding is going to be routed through 200,000 employers.