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LGA responds to IPPR apprenticeships research

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has conducted new research on apprenticeships.

Cllr Peter Box, Economy Spokesman for the Local Government Association, responds: 

"Local government is right behind government's ambition to create 3 million apprenticeships and this research underlines the importance of enabling councils to engage local businesses to make that ambition a reality.

"A good apprenticeship can give young people the experience, skills and understanding that can often lead straight into a full-time job. At present, too many new apprenticeships are low skilled and taken by older people already in work with their employer. Too few new apprentices are school-leavers trying to get their first job, and too few are getting the construction skills to build the homes and roads our local communities need.

"With the greatest will, government alone cannot engage over 2 million employers from Whitehall.  

"Rather than spend more money on a struggling system, this research underlines the need for devolved training that enables partnerships of councils, schools, colleges and employers to both boost opportunities locally and to ensure youngsters get the skills, experience and advice to thrive."

Notes

New IPPR research, funded by the Local Government Association, shows demand for places – especially from young people – is rising above the number of vacancies on offer. The research, to be included in a full report published next month, found:  

  • There were 1.8 million applications for apprenticeships, but there were just 166,000 apprenticeship vacancies advertised last year.
     
  • Two thirds (67 per cent) of intermediate or advanced level (Level 2 or 3) apprentices were already employed by their company. This means that instead of helping young people from unemployment into work, current apprenticeships policy is often enabling companies to train their established, older workforce.
     
  • Just over a third (35 per cent) of apprenticeships are at advanced or higher level (level 3 and 4+) – the majority (65 per cent) of places are still at the intermediate level (level 2).
     
  • Since 2010, 42 per cent of apprenticeship starts have been over the age of 25 rather than young people entering work. In 2013/14 under 19s made up 56 per cent of applications but only 27 per cent of starts, whereas people aged over 25 made up 7 per cent of applications, but accounted for 37 per cent of starts.
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