Hancock calls for merger review

Two colleges in the Midlands have been told by FE minister Matthew Hancock to go back to the drawing board with their plans to merge.

Proposals by Stourbridge and Birmingham Metropolitan to form “one of the largest and most significant further education providers in the country” have been investigated by Mr Hancock’s officials at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to “establish if appropriate processes have been followed”.

A six-week formal consultation on the plans, which the colleges claimed would create “an enhanced learning experience and increased employment opportunities for students”, ended on Wednesday, February 27.

However, BIS has now sent a letter, seen by FE Week, to David Beasley, clerk at Stourbridge College, in Dudley.

In it, Mr Hancock said: “I am not convinced by the rationale set out in your consultation document that this would represent the best outcomes for learners in your local area.

“Nor does your consultation document provide assurance to me that the corporation has undertaken the open and transparent processes that we would expect in terms of analysing needs, engaging with stakeholders and, critically, securing the most effective partnerships and delivery option(s) for the future.”

He added: “I would request that the corporation review its processes and rectify any shortfall, including seeking potential partners through open and inclusive processes.”

The colleges said they would continue with the proposals, “liaising closely with BIS as well as other key stakeholders”.

The University and College Union said the plans were “rushed”, while bosses at Sandwell College — no more than 13 miles from Stourbridge or Birmingham Met — claimed they found out about the proposal through a local newspaper tweet.

Dudley College has also questioned whether the merger was “necessarily in the best interest of local learners”, and the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which covers Stourbridge, wanted more clarification on the plans.

Just last month the minister issued guidance to all principals and governors on such merger plans, without referring to either college.

The proposals — backed by the Birmingham LEP — would dissolve the 12,500-student Stourbridge College on May 31, with its property, rights and liabilities transferring to Birmingham Met, which, two years ago, had more than 26,000 learners.

A joint statement from the two colleges said: “Throughout the consultation period, both colleges have been in direct dialogue with all interested parties … and the feedback from the majority of them has been very positive.

“Both colleges continue to liaise closely with BIS, as well as other key stakeholders, and will continue to work with the department and take on board any advice they offer to us.”

The statement said that Stourbridge had been considering various strategic options for a “considerable” time.

“As one of the first colleges proposing to merge under the government’s commitment to freedoms and flexibilities for the further education sector, the college has been careful to ensure that all processes and due diligence were strictly observed,” it continued.

“Along with increased investment to improve facilities for students and staff, the colleges will offer enhanced opportunities for work experience and jobs, opening up progression routes to higher education and employment, while at the same time meeting the needs of local employers.

“Both colleges believe a merger between two very successful organisations will be a significant development for the region. By working together they will be able to offer a wider choice of curriculum and provide increased opportunities for learners and increased competitiveness for businesses in the region.”

Esol funding ‘safe’

The Skills Funding Agency wants to allay fears that a new payment regime could reduce funding for adult language courses.

Concerns about the future funding of English for Speakers of Other Languages (Esol) courses prompted the National Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults (Natecla) to say the agency should clarify its new ‘streamlined funding system for adults’.

A spokesperson for the association said funding for Esol courses should stay at a level that allowed providers to offer “appropriate, flexible and high quality courses for all learners”.

The Association of Colleges (AoC) was also “concerned” about whether the new system would hit Esol learners and has been in talks with the agency.

However, a spokesperson for the agency said the funding for Esol learners “will not reduce” with the new system.

The current system, with a ‘demand-led funding formula’ that calculates funding levels based on guided learning hours, will end in July.

A Natecla spokesperson said Esol providers were paid for up to 450 hours, so if a student did a 100-hour course of study, the provider was paid for 100 hours.

Its replacement will use the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF). “From next academic year, Esol qualifications will be ‘listed’ on the QCF,” said the spokesperson.

“This means that providers will get a flat rate for a qualification, no matter how many or few hours are offered. Each credit on the QCF represents a notional 10 hours of study.

“We believe that the new ‘simplified’ system is unrealistic in terms of the number of hours on offer and that Esol providers will have to exclude the most needy learners — who are those who need Esol the most to access the jobs market.

“We ask for clarity about the future of Esol qualifications and demand that funding for these remains at a level that allows providers to offer appropriate, flexible and high quality courses for all learners.”

Joy Mercer, AoC director of policy, said: “The ability to speak English is essential for people looking for a job and wishing to participate in the local community. We were very concerned about how Esol provision might be affected by the proposed changes.

“We have discussed this issue with the agency, are working with them to find acceptable solutions and will continue to do so. We are confident our concerns are being listened to.”

A spokesperson for the agency said: “The introduction of the new funding system will not reduce the funding paid for Esol learners.

“The agency has not set any funding rates for the new QCF qualifications, as these have yet to be developed.

“It will be important that providers work with awarding organisations to make sure the new qualifications fully reflect the needs of learners.

“Within our plans for transitional protection, the current Esol curriculum will be funded at current levels until the new qualification offer is developed and put in place.”

Free lunches still off the menu

The government has been accused of inconsistency over a campaign to extend free lunches to students in sixth-form and FE colleges.

James Kewin, deputy chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges’ Association, hit out after the government’s response to an e-petition that collected almost 10,300 signatures.

The Association of College’s No Free Lunch? campaign was prompted by disadvantaged students in school-based sixth forms getting free school lunches unlike their counterparts in other FE settings.

The government said ministers were “currently considering” the issue but that schools did not receive extra funding for their 16 to 18-year-old students other than as a “deprivation factor in their funding formulae”.

Mr Kewin said: “Last year the government said it could not extend free school meals to students in sixth-form and FE colleges because it could not afford to do so.”

In June last year, Nick Gibb [the then Minister of State] said he recognised the anomaly, but estimated that it would cost between £35m and £70m to correct.

Mr Kewin said the government had now “changed tack”, saying that it was only the “entitlement to a free meal” that was different for schools compared with colleges, as the Department for Education did not provide specific funding for free school meals.

“The message from government now seems to be ‘be careful what you wish for’ – if the entitlement is extended there will be no additional funding attached to it,” he said.

This put sixth-form colleges in a “difficult position” as the sector already faced the “deepest cut from the government’s reform of 16-19 funding”.

Pirandeep Dhillon, public affairs officer for AoC, said: “Funds consolidated in 2010 included the Dedicated School Grant that schools used to pay for free school meals, so there is a grant.”

“And schools subsidise disadvantaged sixth-formers through funds they receive for 11 to 16-year-olds. This is about equality and fairness between schools and colleges.”

Ms Dhillon echoed Mr Kewin’s assertions that  the government had sent “mixed messages”.

“But this response [from the government] is welcome as it is now considering the issue,” she said.

The AoC would negotiate with ministers, and expected some decisions after this year’s Budget, later this month.

“Getting over 10,000 signatures is a great achievement but there is clearly more to do,” she added. “We are really thankful to everyone that has supported us.”

Caption for featured image:

FE Minister Matthew Hancock was presented with a No Free Lunch? lolly at the AoC Annual Conference in November last year | Pictures by Nick Linford

‘Focus on job skills not league tables’

Government plans to introduce new post-16 performance tables for level three vocational qualifications have come under fire from the boss of a leading awarding organisation.

The Department for Education has launched a consultation on the plans in which only around one-tenth of nearly 4,000 qualifications currently offered to 16 to 19-year-olds would be counted in the tables.

Chris Jones, chief executive at City & Guilds, warned that the government was focusing on “cutting ‘low-value’ vocational courses, but forgetting about the real problem of helping young people get the skills they need for employment”.

He said: “Our focus is very much on enabling progression into employment or further study. We believe too much emphasis is put on league tables rather than on what will help learners secure a job.”

FE Minister Matthew Hancock last year announced his plans for a scaled-down list of recognised vocational courses.

These would qualify for the Tech Bacc, an idea that Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg at the time accused him of stealing from Labour.

But Mr Hancock said action was needed because “too many students are spending time working hard but getting nowhere”.

He added: “First, it will end the current perverse incentives — every student will have to study a high-quality qualification of substantial size if their college or school sixth form is to get credit in the league tables.

“Second, it will be clear which qualifications will progress young people into skilled occupations and which are more general in nature.”

The government said its plans would “incentivise the take-up of qualifications…most appropriate for students aged 16 to 19”.

Association of Colleges’ director of policy Joy Mercer, described the move as “more housekeeping than a full reshaping of the system”.

The consultation also recommended that vocational qualifications be classified as ‘applied general’ or ‘occupational’.

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said that her group was “puzzled” by the government’s plan to report different qualifications separately. “We are concerned that labelling some vocational qualifications general and others for skilled occupations risks creating an unjustified hierarchy.”

A spokesperson for the University and College Union said he was concerned courses were being “de-legitimised”.

“Many of these courses make
the difference for some young people between dropping out of education and training altogether, or staying on to find out they can learn,” he said.

Meanwhile, Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said there was “an argument” for reducing the number of vocational qualifications.

“What is not clear is how the new qualification [Tech Bacc] will fit in with existing qualifications or proposed changes to A-level and to the curriculum,” he added.

“We desperately need a coherent policy from the government on qualifications and curriculum — at the moment that is sorely lacking.”

Email 16-19vq.consultation@education.gsi.gov.uk to take part in the consultation, which ends on May 10.

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Editorial: League of their own

In December FE Minister Matthew Hancock accepted he had stolen the idea of a Technical Baccalaureate from Labour.

The Minister said in Parliament: “The Tech Bacc is one of the things we will do to ensure higher quality occupational and vocational qualifications.”

Yet, much like the English Baccalaureate, providers will continue to be funded for qualifications that do not meet the criteria for inclusion.

So the unanswered question is why would colleges want, as Mr Hancock calls it: “Credit in the league tables”?

For example, will providers risk losing their contract if too few level three learners achieve a recognised qualification?

Will Ofsted care how many learners are achieving the government’s prescribed list of qualifications if learners have positive progressions?

It is therefore the government’s use of the new performance table that will need careful scrutiny.

Also, why does the government only want to create new qualifications for a new league table at level three?

So many questions, and less than nine weeks in which to respond.

Richard Marsh, director, National Apprenticeship Service

Richard Marsh remembers his first job well. “It was the Eighties, just after the Berlin Wall had come down, and loads of construction work was being done,” he says of working in post-Cold War Germany.

“I was part of a roving gang of builders, tarmacking roads and improving infrastructure, which felt a bit like an episode of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

“We had troubles with neo Nazi groups — they’d come to our campsites at night and protest, and throw things like bricks, trying to get us to leave.”

The 40-year-old says that he’d probably be intimidated now, but “wasn’t really worried” as an 18-year-old. “We used to go out to the local villages to dances,” he recalls.

Born in Birmingham, his straight-talking, laid-back attitude has probably led him to his job today heading  the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) employer services team, travelling the globe and visiting ministers to promote UK apprenticeship models.

Was it these early experiences that sparked an interest in different work ethics and methods?

“Looking back, there was a real difference in our working approach and that of the many other nationalities who were there, attracted by labour demands,” he says.

There’s no better job satisfaction than helping someone realise their potential.”

“The Brits were notorious for their labour speed and work ethic, but also for not having the right equipment and the right training.

“There were workers with us from Ukraine and Eastern European countries who were really scared about secret police and identity papers . . . but these were of no concern to us. It was an interesting time.”

Growing up in the Midlands, Marsh went to Hagley Roman Catholic High School before studying A-levels in English, history and sociology — which he “never finished” — at the now closed St Philips FE College.

He left without knowing what to do and ended up trying his hand at construction as a slinger and banksman — someone who guides cranes.

But after his third winter working outdoors across Europe, the Birmingham City fan says he’d “had enough” and packed it in to become the first “two-wheeled pizza delivery person in Birmingham”.

He soon tired “of all these jobs” and ended up at Edge Hill University in Liverpool when he was about 20 or 21 to do a degree in European business and politics. “I‘d enjoyed the travel and thought I could end up with a nice job working for the EU or something,” he explains.

That was the plan, and while it might not have worked out exactly as he envisaged, Marsh did meet his Spanish wife Victoria who’d come to study in Liverpool. The couple, who now live in Edgbaston, Birmingham, have two children, Isabel, 10 and Elena, 6.

Marsh’s next foray into the world of work led to a stint at travel company, Seligo, joining as a sales representative before finding his niche in training. At 25 he was on to another venture; this time training for Vodafone, a job that fostered his love of apprenticeships.

“At the time they were expanding massively,” he recalls. “It was a great British story as they went from having one million customers to having 100 million around the world — and I was part of the  team training up the call centre.”

He taught Vodafone’s first modern apprenticeships, implementing its customer service programme and soon realising the potential of giving people who’d missed schooling in English and maths the chance to get qualifications, gifting them structure for the start of a career.

He stayed at Vodafone until 1999 when he took a post at Volkswagen UK as head of content for training qualifications.

“At the time we had lower unemployment than Germany, and the Germans were asking ‘why can’t we have a flexible workforce like in the UK?’,” says Marsh.

We quickly realised no country had a monopoly on good ideas and you had to find a balance.”

“Germany was the sick man of Europe economically and all the German employers would say to me ‘in this country you have to train for three years to work as a waiter,’ whereas in the UK we used to talk about how thin our training programmes were.

“We reported back to Berlin every month on what our country was doing, so together we could set a European-wide standard on training programmes. We quickly realised no country had a monopoly on good ideas and you had to find a balance.”

This was Marsh’s last job in the private sector as he then moved into the public domain working for the Learning Skills Council (LSC) [now the Skills Funding Agency].

“I felt I had something to offer to a public sector organisation from my commercial training . . . I think it was something that came from my parents. They were both public servants in a very literal sense,” he says.

While Marsh went off to school his mum trained as a nurse while his father worked as a probation officer.  “He had a real gift for helping young people reintegrate into society and was very successful,” he says.

“There’s probably no better job satisfaction than helping someone realise their potential. They had very satisfying careers and were very much an influence on us growing up.”

Marsh’s older sister also became a nurse while his younger brother went on to work in drug and alcohol counselling.

Ever drawn towards a challenge, however, the fan of vintage motor scooters then moved to take his current role at NAS. He has since given presentations on apprenticeships in countries such as China, which has invested in vocational training.

“They’ve opened 1,000 vocational schools with state-of-the-art equipment, but still employers are saying the young people are not ‘work ready’ because they don’t have work experience,” explains Marsh.

There’s a lot of pressure on Chinese youngsters to go to university as most families have just one child.

“We’re trying to get across the message that you can’t ‘over-train’.”

Marsh wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to apprenticeships, whether he’s talking in China, writing a chapter on the subject in books such as Apprenticeships in the Modern Economy, or back on home turf.

Explaining his motivation he recalls a recent graduation ceremony for IBM apprentices.

“Their parents were so proud they were in tears,” says Marsh.

“These were some of the brightest, hard-working young people in the country who would have had the opportunity to go to a really good university or start a business, but instead chose to work incredibly hard and study at the same time, getting a massive reward for it.

“In England we’re probably half-way towards a world-class apprenticeship programme because we’ve rediscovered our love of apprenticeships and built up our capacity again.

“We’ve got to allow time to refine and develop the programme until it reaches the standards that our best universities and schools have through 100 years of continuation and refinement.

“Apprenticeships aren’t for everybody but they do work for lots of young people. Where they do, the results are tremendous.”

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This article was published in a special 16 page National Apprenticeship Week 2013 supplement (click on image below to download 15mb PDF

Schools and employers need to get together

The needs of employers should be running through the veins of the school system. Young people should be fully informed about their choices – and have the vital skills for the world of work, , says Jason Holt.

Apprenticeships have barely been out of the headlines over the past six months.  There have been two major government-commissioned reviews – my own (into making apprenticeships more accessible for small businesses) and Doug Richard’s independent report on the future of apprenticeships.

It is gratifying to see that recommendations from both reports are beginning to come to fruition. For instance, trade associations, professional bodies and banks now act as brokers, with Barclays Bank today connecting its SME client base to would-be apprentices. Communications have been simplified and web navigation overhauled to make the journey more intuitive for employers.

I particularly welcome the announcement that a programme of traineeships – designed to help young people develop the skills they need to secure apprenticeships and other sustainable employment – will be launched later this year.

This chimes with what many SMEs told me: that they were reluctant to take on apprentices because the young people who turned up at their doors were simply not work-ready.

For too long vocational training has been regarded as the ‘poor relation’ of HE. The tide is turning, but much work is still to be done, particularly in encouraging schools and industry to work together more closely.

We need to plant the seeds that encourage young people to think about careers in areas such as manufacturing, engineering and product design early on, possibly as early as primary school.

Local employers need to develop partnerships with schools, offering work experience, vocational placements and giving information about career opportunities in their field.

We have embraced this approach at Holts Academy, a social enterprise set up by Holts to provide vocational training for the sector.  There are a host of career opportunities in the jewellery industry, from design and manufacture to retail and administration.  Jewellery is, however, a ‘hidden’ industry and we recognised that to ensure a supply of young talent, we had to get out and tell young people about the opportunities on offer.

Our academy team regularly host ‘have a go’ sessions in schools, at careers fairs and at community events.  We give young people the chance to get ‘hands on’; to get a real sense of what jewellery manufacture is all about.  Young people can experiment, for example, with making a key fob out of a piece of sheet metal.

We also work closely with specific schools in our area, informing young people about jobs in the trade, but also giving them much-needed help with job applications, CV writing and interview skills.  We welcome pupils into our academy for day-long workshops.

From this September we will work with five schools in a number of London boroughs. Pupils will spend three days a week at school studying for their academic qualifications and two days at our academy working towards our nationally accredited Jewellery Retail diploma.  We are also working with schools in Birmingham (a regional hub for the jewellery trade) on a series of mini, pre-apprenticeship programmes.

This is a prime illustration of how industry and education can join forces, to make a real difference to the economic future of our country.

Jason Holt is chief executive of Holts Group of Companies and author of the Making apprenticeships more accessible to SMEs review

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This article was published in a special 16 page National Apprenticeship Week 2013 supplement (click on image below to download 15mb PDF

 

National Apprenticeship Week Photography Competition

If you provide apprenticeships then encourage your learners to take a photograph that represents their apprenticeship and be in with a chance of winning an absolutely fantastic prize!

Email one entry before March 18th to photos@feweek.co.uk, including contact details, the apprenticeship qualification, employer and college or training provider.

A selection of submissions will be published on the FE Week website.

Our readers will vote for the winner, which will be announced on 29th March 2013

The winning apprentice will be sent a Nikon D5100 DSLR Camera Kit worth £650

Note: The competition is open to current apprentices only.

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Competition also advertised in our special 16 page National Apprenticeship Week 2013 supplement. Click on the image below to download copy (15mb PDF)

A strong apprentice brand is invaluable

Schools and businesses must both play their part in reinforcing  apprenticeships, says Adrian Bailey MP

National Apprenticeship Week is an opportunity to underline the crucial role that apprenticeships play in the skills base of our country, to celebrate the achievements of many of our young people and to campaign for the changes needed to get more.

For too long, successive governments have paid lip service to the notion that apprenticeships are as important as higher education  — although this is not reflected in public attitudes or in the relentless concentration of our education service to get young people into university.

Apprenticeships must be clearly defined with courses closely monitored and accredited.”

The proportion of unskilled jobs will fall as the economy grows. Getting young people into apprenticeships is vital if we are to overcome this. Government investment is driving up numbers, but is it attracting the sort of highly motivated, able young people who will fill this skills gap?

After a nine-month inquiry into this issue, my committee has identified a number of measures that must be adopted if we are to succeed.

We must reinforce the ‘brand’. Apprenticeships must be clearly defined with courses closely monitored and accredited. They must command confidence and recognition of quality, and be recognised as a passport to a job.

It follows that schools and the careers service must recognise their potential too. Schools are judged by their ability to get exam results and university entrants. Who can blame teachers if they work to that agenda?

Advising a bright student to leave to take an apprenticeship deprives schools of potential talent and risks their position in academic league tables.

My committee met an apprentice who said he got no support from his school once he said that he wanted vocational training. Similarly I have had complaints from FE colleges that schools are dissuading young people into taking their courses. These could be isolated and unrepresentative examples, but I fear that they are not.

A constant complaint is that young people are not work ready. More work experience is one answer, but the government has removed the obligation on schools to provide this.”

If apprenticeships are to enjoy parity of esteem in the public eye, schools must in part be judged on their ability to get students into vocational training as well as HE. Only then will we get more rounded careers advice and teachers that understand the benefits of an apprenticeship.

Then there is the role of business. A constant complaint is that young people are not work ready. More work experience is one answer, but the government has removed the obligation on schools to provide this. The other is for enlightened businesses to engage with schools. Many blue chip companies already do this, but most small businesses that would benefit, do not. The British Glass Trade Association is pioneering initiatives to overcome this, likewise the Cast Metal Federation, but much more needs to be done.

National Apprenticeship Week provides an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate progress. It must also ram home the message that government, business and schools must work together to demonstrate that apprenticeships will provide fulfilment for the young, the skills needed for our economy and the maximum value for our investment in them.

Adrian Bailey MP is chairman of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee

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This article was published in a special 16 page National Apprenticeship Week 2013 supplement (click on image below to download 15mb PDF

Advertorial: Accessing apprenticeships – a passport to a successful future

Apprenticeships are good for business, in every sense of the word, says David Grailey

National Apprenticeship Week is a time to celebrate the true value of apprenticeships in terms of stimulating the economy, increasing workplace productivity, developing staff, and providing exciting opportunities for young people to get their foot on the career ladder.

It’s my belief that education doesn’t need to stop when you enter the workplace. We’re all on a journey of learning and development and apprenticeships allow people to formally achieve qualifications, whilst gaining work experience and earning money, without accruing debt.

At NCFE, the learner is at the core of everything we do and it’s our primary aim to prepare them for the competitive labour market and support them in accessing apprenticeships.”

When it comes to education, one size doesn’t fit all. Doug Richard states in his review that “no single means of learning will ever suit everyone” and this echoes my own thoughts – it’s essential that we embrace a wide variety of skills and find the right route for each individual. Whilst higher education is the preferred route for some learners, others get more satisfaction from learning on the job.

At NCFE, the learner is at the core of everything we do and it’s our primary aim to prepare them for the competitive labour market and support them in accessing apprenticeships. With this in mind, I find it encouraging to hear that additional funding has been secured from the apprenticeship application support fund to give learners a head-start in their apprenticeship applications.

Through this investment, up to 17,000 young people will be supported on to apprenticeship schemes. Support will include practical skills, such as interview preparation and CV writing, to raise the quality and success rate of applications for vacancies.

Similarly, I welcome the recent proposals for the traineeship programme to be launched in September 2013, which will help young people to boost their skills and confidence before an apprenticeship.

NCFE already has a large range of qualifications that fit well into the traineeship model, giving structure to the programme and motivating learners by recognising their skills.

For example, qualifications such as Employability Skills help learners to make the leap from education to the workplace via apprenticeships, through building the core transferable skills that all businesses are looking for. These skills enable learners to be “competent and confident beyond the confines of their current job”.

This is something that Richard specifically highlights in his apprenticeship review and it’s an issue that we’re keen to address.

It’s fantastic to see work experience featuring so highly on the traineeship agenda – it’s through genuine interaction with business that learners get a feel for the workplace. What’s more, by displaying this experience on their CVs, learners will become more appealing to employers.

At NCFE, we offer a range of qualifications such as our Level 2 Award in Developing Skills in the Workplace that support the work placement itself. Qualifications such as these provide a framework so that employers can see the quality and the value of the experience for the learner.

When it comes to an apprenticeship, sometimes  the value of the experience for the learner speaks for itself — it’s always heartening to hear of young people who’ve completed an apprenticeship and  gone on to succeed in the workplace. For example, I was proud to hear about 20 young NCFE apprentices in London who were recently recruited as ambassadors at The View from the Shard, welcoming in visitors on opening night.

Further steps need to be taken to support this ‘lost generation’ and set them on the road to a brighter future.”

The learners are currently completing an NCFE Apprenticeship in Customer Service and have gained NCFE qualifications in Employability Skills.

It was a big first day for the talented group who rose to the challenge, took their chance to shine and showcased their skills.

Overall, with youth unemployment figures remaining at the one million mark, it’s clear to see that further steps need to be taken to support this ‘lost generation’ and set them on the road to a brighter future. It’s my hope that quality modern Apprenticeships will continue to gain prestige as  a gateway to a successful, skills-based career.

Through initiatives such as traineeships, we can ensure that young people are well prepared to be a positive addition to any workforce, offering employers real, tangible benefits to their business.

David Grailey is NCFE chief executive

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This article was published in a special 16 page National Apprenticeship Week 2013 supplement (click on image below to download 15mb PDF