Two steps forwards, one step back...

Apprenticeships are valuable. They increase business productivity, they support growth and address skills gaps. Apprenticeships are worthwhile. They build confidence, they develop skills, they encourage desirable behaviours. Apprenticeships are desired. Politically, academically and, increasingly, socially they are seen as the future for further education. All of this is why I feel that a golden opportunity to further improve the standing of apprenticeships is about to be missed.

Incoming reforms such as the Apprenticeship Levy and the creation of new Standards to replace old Frameworks have been written about by others, as has the legal protection for the term apprenticeship and the workforce target for the public sector to have apprentices as 2.3% of staff. All of the above individually have the potential to create a huge impact on how vocational education and training is viewed. Combined they could alter how apprenticeships are viewed for generations to come. However, one thing threatens to undermine all the support that apprenticeships currently enjoy; the culture of free training.

A recently published article has reported that the Skills Funding Agency is looking are looking at funding models to support micro and SME businesses to take on an apprentice. Which is most definitely the correct thing to do as this market generates the majority of apprenticeship opportunities for young people and should absolutely be encouraged to continue doing so. The problem, for me, is the ratio that is currently being rumoured of ￡9 funding to every ￡1 contributed by the employer; effectively funding 90% of the full value of the apprenticeship through government funding.

There is currently a culture of ‘free training’ offered to ‘upskill your staff at no cost’ with ‘no contributions required’ by taking a ‘fully funded course’ that does not place the correct message around the value of apprenticeships and devalues the benefits of undertaking what is a substantial commitment to learning and self-improvement. 

Offering an apprenticeship for free does a massive disservice to the value of an apprenticeship on education, career prospects and, in the bigger picture, people’s lives. We all know that a sales role is difficult and targets need to be met but offering something for free, in my opinion, isn't the answer.

This does not mean that there should not be any support for smaller, non-levy paying businesses to offer apprenticeships, of course there should. The value of apprentices to the economy is beyond debate and the skills passed on from one generation to the next are vital in an aging workforce, not to mention the opportunity to shape industry with the development of talent for the digital age and beyond. This value should be protected and encouraged by removing the option for providers to simply take a 10% reduction in the funding they receive and offering ‘free’ training.

Rather than the ￡9 to ￡1 model currently being touted there would be a larger, longer term benefit if we asked employers to invest in training to a higher level. My suggestion would be around ￡4 funding being made available for every ￡1 invested to ensure that employers and businesses are fully aware of the substantial benefits they will receive from a high quality apprenticeship programme delivered by a reputable and established provider. The employer contribution could then be fully met by incentives to encourage the employment of targeted groups such as 16-18 year-olds or gender within subject to enourage more women into construction for example.

Yes, there will be a backlash to this and there will be employers who no longer take apprentices as a result but equally there are providers who already ask, and receive, notable contributions from employers as a result of their outstanding reputation and the high level of service that they provide. There are two sides to every coin.

My worry is that despite all of the benefits offered by apprenticeships, despite all of the political support (some may say pressure) to increase the number of apprentices and despite the shifting social attitudes to vocational further education allowing providers to continue offering ‘free’ apprenticeship training will do more harm than good in the long term and create a disposable perception of apprenticeships with no value attached to the end qualification.

There is a fine balance between creating volume and keeping quality, it needs to be found.