Young Apprenticeships working and expanding

Minister for Skills and Vocational Education, Ivan Lewis has announced that with this year's initial recruitment of 1,000 Young Apprenticeship places is complete, and that a further 2,000 14 year olds will begin training under the scheme in September 2005. Plans for the next stage of the expansion will be unveiled in the Government's 14-19 White Paper due to be published early in the New Year.

Whilst visiting the first pupils engaged out of school on Young Apprenticeships, he also announced more vocational and work-related learning opportunities under the Increased Flexibility Programme for 14-16 Year olds.

He described this as a historic step forward in the Governments commitment to putting world class Young Apprenticeships at the heart of the offer for 14 and 15 year olds.

This scheme brings vocational learning into the mainstream and offers talented youngsters a chance to experience learning in the environment which suits them best. It offers a unique chance to combine school studies with learning alongside skilled workers.

Under the scheme schools remain responsible for their pupils but work in close partnership with employers, the Sector Skills Councils, colleges and learning providers to deliver the curriculum.

A quarter of a million 16 to 20 year olds are now undertaking apprenticeships in this country and the time is ripe to expand the Young Apprenticeship programme as well. Young Apprenticeships aim to allow young people to build on their strengths and offers them opportunities to gain skills that will make it easier for them to gain skilled employment or Higher Education, or both.

It is Mr. Lewis says one of the best ways both to fill the country's skills gaps and help young people realise their potential.

The Learning Skills Council Director of Work Based Learning Stephen Gardner, has long recognized that apprenticeships are one of the best forms of vocational training. Their strength, he explained lies in their ability to deliver nationally recognised job-specific technical skills and transferable key skills.
 

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