Brennan: New model to
deliver over 14,000 apprenticeship places for small businesses
Innovative new
models to help small businesses take on greater numbers of
apprentices are being launched today by Apprenticeship Minister
Kevin Brennan.
Twelve organisations have won a share of £7m of Government
funding to set up new Apprenticeship Training Associations (ATAs)
and Group Training Associations (GTAs). The new models will help a
range of organisations, especially small businesses, to offer over
14,000 apprenticeship places for young people over the next three
years, with a focus on opportunities for 16 to 18-year-olds. The
apprenticeships will be offered in industries vital for the
country’s economic growth, including environmental, creative,
engineering, manufacturing, logistics and business administration.
Tomorrow, the National Apprenticeships Service launches its “Good
for Business” initiative, a campaign to raise awareness among
businesses of the long and short-term benefits for employers in
the public and private sector of taking on Apprentices.
Speaking from set of the Comedians at the Lyric Theatre
Hammersmith, which currently supports apprentices, Kevin Brennan
said:
“We want to give small and medium-sized firms the extra support
and resources they need to take on more apprentices. These
innovative models mean small businesses, who may not previously
have felt able to offer apprenticeships, can now get on board and
back young Britain. Today’s announcement means greater flexibility
for small businesses and greater security for apprentices.
“Apprenticeships are a key route to building the nation’s skills
and as we rebuild growth, it’s really important that we continue
to invest in people and their skills, especially in industries key
to our future economic success. The campaign launching this week
will highlight the benefits Apprentices can bring to more
businesses up and down the country.”
Apprenticeship Training Associations (ATAs) are companies or
partnerships acting as a recruitment agency, placing apprentices
with “host” employers. This new model is based on an Australian
programme where they provide around 10% of all places. If the host
business is unable to continue supporting the apprentice for any
reason, they return to the ATA and are re-assigned to another
business.
The funding will also help develop and expand new Group Training
Associations (GTAs). GTAs have existed since the 1960s. For small
businesses which might not have the capacity to provide their own
training, a GTA helps them to share expertise with other employers
and develop their own dedicated training. The fund has encouraged
GTAs to be developed in sectors which currently have low numbers
of apprentices.
Iain Wright, Minister for 14-19 Reform and Apprenticeships said:
“Apprenticeships offer young people a valuable opportunity to
build their skills and practical experience. We want
apprenticeships to be a mainstream option for young people and we
are committed to expanding the number of apprenticeship places
available. At a time of economic downturn, it is vital that we
continue to invest in young people.”
“Today’s announcement will give even more young people the
opportunity to build vital skills for the future.”
The nine ATAs and 3 GTAs will provide over 3,000 apprenticeship
starts this academic year. The Apprenticeship places offered by
these new associations will make a significant contribution to our
target of 250,000 people starting an apprenticeship this year and
our overall ambitions on Apprenticeship numbers over the next
three years.
Simon Waugh, Chief Exec of National Apprenticeship Service, said:
“The National Apprenticeship Service is dedicated to adopting
innovative approaches as we increase our employer engagement.
Apprenticeships are the optimal way of training, developing and
skilling people for the future. These new models will play a vital
part in ensuring high quality, flexible provision can be delivered
to support Apprentices in all types of business.”
The National Apprenticeship Service is also working with Rathbone
and a number of other third sector stakeholders to develop a
GTA-type proposal to support third sector employers to benefit
from Apprenticeships.
Notes to editors
1. The Government is committed to expanding
apprenticeships so that they can become a mainstream option for
young people. Over 250,000 people are expected to start an
apprenticeship in this academic year.
2. This announcement delivers on a commitment made in the
Government’s New Opportunities White Paper in January 2009 to test
out innovative approaches to make it easier for small businesses
to take on apprentices. The £7m funding to develop the new
delivery models is in addition to the £140m package the Prime
Minister announced to provide an extra 35,000 Apprenticeship
places over this coming year.
3. The winning bidders are:
To view the full list of winners contained in this release,
please follow the link below to download the word doc version of
this release.
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=407745&NewsAreaID=2&ClientID=431
4. To view a copy of the National Apprenticeship Service
(NAS) prospectus, Testing Alternative Delivery Models: Group
Training Associations and Apprenticeships Training Agencies go to
www.apprenticeships.org.uk/About-Us/Publications.aspx.
The London Apprenticeship Company is the first ATA of its kind in
England, a community investment company with five shareholders:
City of Westminster College, Westminster Kingsway Colleges,
Skillset Australia (the leading Australian provider), Paddington
Development Trust (social enterprise) and Vital Regeneration (a
London regeneration agency).
6. The New Opportunities White Paper was published on13 January
2009. To view a copy, go to www.hmg.gov.uk/newopportunities.aspx
7. The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) was launched on 27th
April 2009. Reporting to the Departments for Business, Innovation
and Skills (BIS) and Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), the
service will drive forward the Government’s ambition for
Apprenticeships. The service aims to bring about a significant
growth in the number of employers offering Apprenticeships. The
NAS will assume total responsibility for the delivery of
Apprenticeships that includes: Employer Services; Learner
Services; and a web-based vacancy matching system. This online
system enables individuals to search and apply for live vacancies
and allows employers, and their training providers to advertise
their vacancies to a wide range of interested applicants. The
service has ultimate accountability for the national delivery of
targets and co-ordination of the funding for Apprenticeship
places. It will act to overcome barriers to the growth of the
programme and assume responsibility for promoting Apprenticeships
and their value to employers, learners and the country as a whole.
8. For further Information and photos or for an interview with
Kevin Brennan, please call the BIS Press Office on 020 7215 5951.
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is
building a dynamic and competitive UK economy by: creating the
conditions for business success; promoting innovation, enterprise
and science; and giving everyone the skills and opportunities to
succeed. To achieve this it will foster world-class universities
and promote an open global economy. BIS - Investing in our future.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Jane Parsons
Phone: 020 7215 5947
Jane.Parsons@bis.gsi.gov.uk