LONDON, Feb. 7 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
* Faster approval process to update apprenticeships and develop short courses to address urgent skills needsin major projects
* Reformscome ahead of National Apprenticeship Week tohelp young people move into high-quality jobsfasterwhileturbocharging growth
* Bureaucracytackled to cut apprenticeship approval times from 18 months to as little as three months asgovernmentcontinuesdrive to help more young people onto apprenticeships
Young people willbegiven aquicker routeinto high-quality jobson major projectsas the Governmentslashesred tapetofast-track the process.
As industries evolve, so must the training that prepares people to work in them. Whether it's new safety standards on building sites or the skills needed to construct and operate the latest offshore wind turbines, apprenticeships need to keep pace.
A new accelerated approach will mean updates to training or development of new short courses can be completed in as little as three months, ensuring the workforce is ready to deliver the major projects that will drive growth.
This forms as part of the Growth and Skills Levy reforms, delivering 50,000 more apprenticeships for young peoplebacked by £725 million funding. These measureswill play an integral role towards the Government's ambition to get two-thirds of young people into higher-level learning or apprenticeships.
The offer will help companies meet their business needs more quickly, while reflecting the Government's consultation on ensuring companies bidding for major infrastructure contracts contributes to high-quality jobs, skills and apprenticeships. It reinforces the Government's expectation that investment in workforce development should go hand in hand with delivering major projects and driving growth.
To mark the start ofNational Apprenticeship Week, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden visitedCammellLaird shipyard in Birkenhead,to seefirst-hand how apprenticeships are delivering skilled jobs in advanced manufacturing and engineering.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:
"Britain's future depends on getting more young people into good jobs with real prospects. These reforms will slash bureaucracy so we can train people faster in the industries wherethey'reneeded most.
"AtCammellLaird, I've seen how apprenticeships are delivering the skilled workforce our country needs - from shipbuilding to advanced manufacturing.We'rebuilding on that success with ouradditional£725million Growth and Skills Levy investment to create 50,000 new apprenticeships.
"We need to give more young people a faster route into secure, well-paid work by ensuring British businesses have the talent they need to grow."
Thelatestreformscome as the government ramps up support for young people totake up apprenticeships, including through arecentmajor£725millioninvestmentto pivot the system towards the workforce of the future.They willmakethe process more agile and responsive to employers'needs andallow training to be delivered more quickly where employers need skills most.
As part of the new Major Investment and Infrastructure Service, this will support the delivery ofmajor infrastructure and private investment projectsfrom Northern Powerhouse Rail tonew energetic materials factories for UK defenceand ensure local people have pathways into new jobs.
The system willuse occupational experts to meet specific needs and willfocus on makingquick revisions to existing standards, for example updating construction standards in the light of regulatory changes followingGrenfell.
During the visit, the Secretary of State met apprentices working on one of the largest apprenticeship programmes in the UK maritime industry, and visited the local Engineering College, which trains over 100 apprentices a year in partnership with Cammel Laird.
CammellLaird is a major UK shipbuilder employing hundreds of apprentices across Merseyside, working closely with local education providers to train the next generation of engineers,weldersand project managers.
David McGinley, Chief Executive Officer of APCL Group said:
"APCL Cammell Laird was delighted to welcome the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden to its facility ahead of National Apprenticeship Week. The Secretary of State's visit provided APCL with the platform to demonstrate the importance of our award-winning apprenticeship programme to the UK's industrial capability.
"Our Group is currently supporting over 270 young people in their training across the UK. APCL Cammell Laird and the wider APCL Group's shipbuilding and ship repair capability is underpinned by our apprenticeship programme which continues to deliver the next generations of shipbuilders and engineers.
"The ongoing success of our apprenticeship programme is vital if we are to ensure that the UK retains its shipbuilding strength. APCL remains deeply committed to this scheme."
The new accelerated approach will allow government to move faster where demand is highest,deliveringpriorityupdatestoapprenticeshipsmorequickly,
whilemaintainingquality standards - supporting sectors critical to growth,productivityand national infrastructure.
The announcement comes ahead of the 19thannual National Apprenticeship Week, which focuses on Skills for life.
Recent reforms to the Growth and Skills Levy willdeliver more apprenticeships for young people and help match skills training with local job opportunities.The reforms will support 50,000 new apprenticeships, helping more young people movequicklyinto secure, well-paid work while supporting employers to grow.
Employers and training providers are encouraged to engage with Skills England and the Department for Work and Pensions to help shape accelerated apprenticeships, and to make use of the Growth and Skills Levy to invest in their future workforce.
Supportive quotes:
Nigel Cann, CEO of Sizewell C, said:
"Apprentices are the lifeblood of a project like ours. We'll be recruiting 1,500 over the course of construction, with 540 of those coming from our host county of Suffolk, and they'll work across a huge range of roles here.
"Apprenticeships not only help deliver nationally significant projects like Sizewell C, they help meet the skills demand for our industries and offer a vital engine for social mobility in the UK, offering young people opportunities regardless of their background.
"Accelerating routes into apprenticeships means accelerating opportunity, social mobility, and growth here in the UK. So we absolutely welcome the measures announced today by the Work and Pensions Secretary."
Tania Gandamihardja, Group HR Director at BAE Systems, said:
"We currently have a record 5,100 apprentices in learning and they are critical to our skills pipeline. They enable us to deliver programmes of national importance such as the Global Combat Air Programme, the UK's next-generation SSN-AUKUS submarines and Type-26 frigates alongside disruptive technologies such as cyber, space and drone capabilities.
"This announcement will accelerate our ability to offer new and updated apprenticeships keeping our people at the forefront of cutting-edge defence technologies. Incorporating the most advanced innovations in apprenticeships will also help us attract the 1,100 apprentices we need to join our company this year. We will work closely with the UK Government to create the new apprenticeship standards to meet the skills needs of the defence sector."
Becki Robertson, Vice President of Human Resources for Agratas, said:
"Battery manufacturing in the UK is advancing rapidly, and to deliver projects of great scale and ambition like ours, we need people with the right skills, at the right time.
"This accelerated approach to apprenticeship and short course delivery will make a real difference to our business and the battery sector, providing agility and flexibility to respond to industry developments, and delivering the vital skills we need now and in the future.
"It will help us maximise apprenticeship pathways for our evolving requirements, develop a talent pipeline and upskill our workforce, supporting us to deliver this critical project at pace."
Philippa Burt, HR Director for Hinkley Point C, said:
"We welcome these apprenticeships reforms as they will help boost opportunities for young people at the same time as delivering more effectively the skills needed by major infrastructure projects. 1,700 apprentices have already been trained at Hinkley Point C, helping overcome nationally significant skills gaps in key trades and high growth sectors.
We've seen the huge difference apprenticeships make to the lives of young people on our project, growing their careers and confidence. Accelerating access will see many more lives transformed and help build on the skills legacy large projects offer for future growth and industrial capacity."
Julia Pyke, Clean Power Commissioner and Managing Director of Sizewell C said:
"Slashing red tape so that more apprenticeships can be created in clean energy companies is great news for communities hosting the infrastructure, and for growing the skilled workforce the country needs for a just transition"
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
