Apprenticeship changes welcomed by industry
Road transport trade associations have praised a series of reforms to apprenticeships in England that were announced by the government this month.
The policy revamp, which coincided with National Apprenticeship Week in February, is set to “turbocharge economic growth” to the tune of £25 billion, according to the Department for Education (DfE) which is spearheading the reforms.
They will provide a more flexible framework for employers, with the minimum duration of apprenticeships cut from 12 to eight months, which DfE said would “help get boots on the ground quicker if workers have prior experience”. Meanwhile, a relaxation of requirements for adult apprentices to pass English and mathematics qualifications could lead to an additional 10,000 apprentices becoming qualified each year, the department said.
Logistics UK’s head of skills policy, Bethany Windsor, said the changes would encourage more people to take up vocational training across the sector.
“For too long, logistics businesses have been hampered in taking on apprentices by overly long practical periods or the insistence on the achievement of English or maths qualifications, which were not always relevant to the vacancies available or may have been superseded by other qualifications,” she said.
“Apprenticeships provide a wonderful opportunity for new recruits to enter the sector and today’s changes to the system will make it easier and more appealing for them to do so, which will help logistics businesses do their part in driving growth across the economy.”
Ms Windsor said the reduction of the minimum apprenticeship length would make schemes more appealing as an introduction into the sector, and increase completion levels.
“Logistics has so many opportunities for new recruits and those looking to up- or re-skill, but it is vital that we provide as seamless a process as possible,” she said.
“Today’s announcement will open the world of logistics qualifications to even more people, which is great news as we work to drive economic growth in the coming months.”
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) said the move would make some transport and logistics apprenticeships more viable.
Sally Gilson, RHA’s skills policy manager, said the reforms would “ensure we can get more people behind the wheel and into other roles in our industry”, adding: “This is particularly pertinent given that our industry will need 200,000 new lorry drivers in the next five years to service demand and drive growth.”
“There are many instances where apprentices have got through the technical aspects of their courses but were held back because they didn’t pass the maths and English elements.
“We’re therefore pleased that this move will remove those barriers and support people into rewarding new careers in our industry.”
The RHA would continue to campaign for greater flexibility for short courses to be available within the growth and skills levy alongside apprenticeships, she added.
Announcing the changes, the education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We need to take skills seriously as a country again, and the measures we’ve taken this week to slash red tape and boost the number of apprentices, show how we will deliver on this and break down the barriers to opportunity for our young people.”
