Page 11 - Gi flipbook April 2018

First year of apprenticeship levy has been

‘woefully inadequate’ says select committee

were being let down Further and Technical in any way, some young
by inadequate training Education Select people on apprenticeships
providers and a “hit and Committee, Chair of the are not being well-served,
miss” approach to quality. Institute of Apprenticeships and they deserve better,”
Under the levy, all UK Antony Jenkins described she said.
businesses with an annual the shift to the levy Figures released by
payroll bill of more than £3 and new apprenticeship education regulator
million have been required standards as a “significant Ofsted at the end of
Apprenticeships uptake to pay an apprenticeship transition”, which would January revealed that the
has taken a blow levy of 0.5 per cent, take time to become proportion of students
intended to fill skills gaps effective. being taught by inadequate
and provide new routes into “Is this simply transitional, providers had increased
APPRENTICES HAVE FELT the workplace by investing or have we got something to 20 per cent in 2017.
unsupported and isolated in technical education. very badly wrong?” Lord Almost half (40 per cent)
since the introduction of However, the scheme Kerr pushed committee of apprenticeship providers
the apprenticeship levy, has had a rocky first year, witnesses. assessed by the regulator
members of the House with a lack of awareness of Dr Hilary Steedman, required improvement,
of Lords said at a select the levy among businesses, Senior Research Fellow at while 11 per cent were
committee hearing. The reports of employers and the Centre for Economic deemed inadequate.
comments came as the providers fiddling costs or Performance, described the Concerns about standards
government’s flagship writing the levy off as a tax, fall in starts as “worrying, in the sector have
policy headed towards its and a plunge in the number but not surprising”, and persisted, and almost
first birthday, accorinding to of apprenticeship starts. called on the government imperilled LearnDirect in
told People Management. The latest figures to abandon its target of the summer of 2017.
Experts and from the Department for reaching three million “A huge proportion
parliamentarians discussed Education revealed a 35 per apprenticeship starts by of providers are failing
the dramatic fall in the cent drop of apprenticeship 2020, saying the focus to achieve a good or
number of apprenticeship starts in November 2017 should be on quality rather outstanding rating, which
starts since the introduction alone, compared to same than quantity. would never be tolerated in
of the levy in April 2017, month in the previous year. ”While we don’t want the university sector,” Lizzie
claiming that a significant Speaking at the opportunities for young Crowley, Skills Adviser at
number of apprentices Economics of Higher, people to be restricted the CIPD. ■

Fifth of employers uncertain that businesses are starting
to feel hesitant about hiring.
about permanent hiring plans This might indicate the
impact the current political
and economic uncertainty
has had on employer
ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY employers unsure whether in the next three months, confidence.”
CONTINUES to affect hiring they need to increase their up from five per cent of Green called on the
decisions, with almost permanent headcount in employers asked the same government to “get rid of
one-fifth (18 per cent) of the next four to 12 months. question last year. Only 17 this huge question mark”
The Recruitment per cent planned to increase over the status of EU
Economic uncertianty is & Employment employee numbers, reports migrant workers to ensure
affecting recruitment Confederation’s JobsOutlook Personnel Today. businesses are supported.
survey also found that the The survey of 600 “We’ve now got a year
same number (18 per cent) employers also revealed left before Brexit happens
of employers expected to that large organisations and we still don’t know
increase permanent staff in were particularly uncertain what this means for
the same period, down from about their permanent employers or EU staff in
23 per cent in February 2017. hiring plans. the country. Businesses
One in eight (12 per REC Chief Executive Kevin need clarity in order to
cent) were unsure what Green said: “Employment has feel confident about the
their permanent headcount been rising for the past year. UK’s economic conditions,”
requirements would be However, we are now seeing he added. ■

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News.indd 6 15/03/2018 14:24