Prime Minister David Cameron is tomorrow expected to unveil plans for 2.3 per cent of staff in large public sector bodies to be apprentices.

It is thought the move will see apprentice numbers boosted by 200,000 as the government chases its 3m starts election manifesto target for this Parliament.

Measures to achieve the public sector numbers will be laid out in a policy package entitled English Apprenticeships – Our 2020 vision.

Around three quarters of apprenticeships are in the private sector, with the rest coming mainly (16 per cent) from the public sector while around a tenth are in the voluntary sector.

Mr Cameron is due say: “In our manifesto, we made specific commitments – we said we’d reach 3m more apprenticeships.

“I can tell you, in the three months after the election alone, we delivered 115,000 more – in industries from law to fashion design, aerospace and more.

“And today, we’re going even further, with our apprenticeship 2020 vision. We will make every part of the public sector – from Whitehall to local government, the NHS to the police, ensure that apprentices form at least 2.3 per cent of their workforce.

“And our 2020 plan will also help an age group that has, so far, missed out: young adults. Just 6 per cent of 16 to 18-year-olds take an apprenticeship at the moment.

“But with the public sector and the private sector fully on board, we want to increase that, helping us to make sure every school-leaver goes into an apprenticeship, work or university – and gets the skills they need.”

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3 Comments

  1. How ironic I the week Next are criticised for undercutting ordinary workers pay through poorly managed Apprenticeships , the Government announces a scheme to replace thousands of redundant workers in the Public Sector with low skilled and low paid workers. I look forward to reading OFSTED report on this farce.

  2. FE Lecturer

    I suspect that the government are currently refurbishing their smoke machines and polishing their mirrors. I think will have to buy some additional equipment to pull this one off.