Apprenticeships

APP 99

Written evidence submitted by the Worcestershire Health & Care

NHS Trust

· How successful has the National Apprenticeship Service been since it was created in April 2009? Has it helped bridge the gap between the two funding Departments? (BIS and Department for Education).

Good source of information. Regional contacts have provided an excellent service e.g. re funding issues, provider problems, selection of new providers.

Approved employers should be able to add vacancies directly to the system to avoid delays.

The funding being paid directly to the training providers means the employer can’t impose any financial penalties if they fail to meet the service specification. This doesn’t work and the funding should be paid directly to the employer to help ensure the quality of the service received is maintained or some of the money should be held back by the SFA until the employer gives approval for it to be issued to the training provider. If the money is given direct to the employer checks will need to be made to ensure the organisation is using the money to fund apprenticeships.

· Is the extra funding promised by the Coalition Government necessary for apprenticeships? How can this funding best be spent?

Yes – genuine apprenticeships require input and commitment from managers and supervisors and there needs to be an incentive to employers to recruit and develop them. Funding should go direct to employers via a bidding system and not just based on the size of the employer.

· Are apprenticeships of a high enough quality to benefit apprentices and their employers? Should there be more Level 3 apprenticeships?

Level 2 apprenticeships are a good starting point as long as we have some control over the training provider if they don’t meet our quality standards. There needs to be development/progression available beyond Level 2.

· Apprenticeship bonuses – how should they function? Will they encourage the involvement of more small and medium sized businesses to take on apprentices? If not what will?

Should be on the basis where employers can bid for the money if they have a clear business case and evidence to back up the quality of their scheme. Any funding will help employers and encourage them to start apprenticeship schemes but the Government needs to ensure they are genuine schemes that offer progression for apprentices and not a way of obtaining cheap labour.

· Is the current funding arrangement for training of apprentices of 100% for 16-18 year olds and 50% for 19-24 year olds appropriate?

Question the basis for applying different funding levels for different age groups. Can lead to discrimination by some employers. Better for the funding to be spread equally over the two age groups.

Also it is a minefield to work out whether certain qualifications attained prevent the employer from applying for funding eg Level 3 qualifications when applying for a Level 2 apprenticeship. The apprenticeship also includes getting experience in a work setting and young people

10 February 2012