Careers Guidance Could Scupper Apprenticeships Expansion

LONDON - ATTN: Education, Careers & Politics Correspondents

The UK’s Apprenticeship renaissance could stall if careers information
and guidance is not overhauled warns a major new report, Progression through
Apprenticeships, published today.

Leading educationalists, employers and apprentices gave evidence to the
Skills Commission inquiry over a six-month period. The resulting report
states too few young people, of all academic abilities, are taking up
Apprenticeships due to inadequate careers advice but also a lack of clear
progression routes.

One of the major issues uncovered during the inquiry is that careers
guidance professionals don’t understand local skills shortages or employer
demand for apprentices. In response, the Commission recommends careers
guidance professionals regularly visit employers each year to improve
knowledge about local labour markets and consequently the quality of guidance
available to young people.

Another factor is the lack of knowledge of Apprenticeship amongst the
nation’s teachers, exposed by research by independent education foundation
Edge as part of the inquiry. The Commission is calling for the National
Apprenticeship Service to partner with the Training and Development Agency
for Schools (TDA) to improve teacher understanding of the opportunities
offered by Apprenticeships.

Barry Sheerman MP, co-chair of the Skills Commission, says: “There needs
to be a marked improvement in the quality of careers advice and guidance
about Apprenticeships. This would encourage more young people, of all
academic abilities, to consider an Apprenticeship, and help to achieve the
Government’s goal of one in five young people enrolled on an Apprenticeship
within the next decade.

“We want to ensure the long-term prosperity and continued success of
Apprenticeships and during this time of economic downturn securing quality
vocational routes for young people is ever-more important.”

Andy Powell, CEO of independent education foundation Edge and member of
the Commission, commented: “Tackling the lack of knowledge about
Apprenticeships amongst teachers and careers guidance professionals is key to
unlocking the potential of the programme. Young people must be given easy to
understand options regarding Apprenticeships in order to make an informed
decision. Progression routes for apprentices must also be clearer and free of
barriers to help young people follow one of the many paths to success.”

The Commission also investigated the potential impact of the new 14-19
Diplomas on Apprenticeships. Witnesses called for a much clearer mapping
between Diploma and Apprenticeship requirements. This will help young people
studying Diplomas know when they have acquired a qualification that is also
part of an Apprenticeship, and what further qualifications would then be
required to complete the Apprenticeship.

The Commission urges the Government to accelerate the process of
accrediting advanced apprenticeship frameworks with UCAS tariff points. This
will help dispel the idea that undertaking an apprenticeship limits
individuals’ chance of progressing to higher education.

The Skills Commission report, Progression through Apprenticeships,
contains 23 policy recommendations relating to four key areas: entry to
apprenticeships; progression from other learning pathways: progression to
advanced Apprenticeships; and progression to advanced further education and
higher education.

For further information visit: www.policyconnect.org.uk/skills or
www.edge.co.uk

Notes to Editors

About the Skills Commission: The Skills Commission is part of Policy
Connect, a not for profit organisation that bridges Parliament and industry.
The Commission is comprised of a select group of key individuals with a stake
in skills policy and is co-chaired by Barry Sheerman MP and Dame Ruth Silver.
It brings greater direction and focus to skills policy and acts as a steering
body for the National Skills Forum and Associate Parliamentary Skills Group.
The Skills Commission’s inquiry into the training and career progression
routes for Apprenticeships was launched in September 2008. The inquiry is
chaired by Sir William Taylor and sponsored by Edge. The Skills Commission is
managed by Policy Connect.

The key recommendations contained with the Skills Commission report,
Progression through Apprenticeships, include:

- Improve teacher understanding of the opportunities
Apprenticeships offer to learners by ensuring teacher training
includes appropriate information about Apprenticeships.

- Ensure careers guidance professionals acquire knowledge about
local labour markets

- There should be clear mapping between Diploma and Apprenticeship
Requirements

- Funding for the Young Apprenticeship programme should be
ring-fenced to protect against further decline

- Programme-led Apprenticeships require clearer definition and it
must be communicated to learners how the programme relates to
employer-led apprenticeships

- Apprenticeships should have access to bridging courses to enable
them to progress to higher education

- The National Apprenticeship Service and the relevant Sector
Skills Councils should work with the professional bodies to create
clear pathways from Apprenticeship to the professions

LONDON, March 18 /PRNewswire/ –

About Edge

Edge is an independent education foundation. It is dedicated to raising
the status of practical and vocational learning, so that all young people
have the opportunity to achieve their potential, and the UK’s future
workforce is equipped with the skills to be successful in the modern economy.
Edge believes that ‘learning by doing’ is as important as academic learning,
and that there are many paths to success.

Source: The Skills Commission & Edge

For further details including interviews and background information, please contact: Rebecca Johnston, Sarah Davidson or Max Wilson, Band & Brown Communications, +44-(0)20-7419-6950 / edgeteam at bbpr.com. Daniel Golding, Policy Connect, +44-(0)20-7202-8587 / +44-(0)7779-607-887 / Daniel.golding at policyconnect.org.uk