With new statistics showing a lack of faith in the UK government\u2019s apprenticeship target, the OU presses for joined up working to enable the scheme to succeed in this National Apprenticeship Week.<\/p>\n
A survey by the Chartered Management Institute<\/a> found that nearly half of managers surveyed believed the UK government is unlikely to reach its target of creating three million apprenticeships by 2020.<\/p>\n The UK government is pushing the new-look apprenticeships as an alternative to university, helping achieve a solution to boost the economy by training people in the skills that employers need. But after the apprenticeship levy<\/a> was introduced in 2017, starting rates slowed, with only 1.2 million new apprenticeships beginning between May 2015 and October 2017.<\/p>\n But the numbers of higher and degree apprenticeships – introduced in England in 2015 to develop higher skills across the UK workforce – have increased each year since they began.<\/p>\n Some business leaders have concerns about the plans and are renewing calls for an overhaul of the apprenticeship levy. They say there are a catalogue of issues, including low pay and red tape. And the CMI survey showed that 34% of employers from large organisations have delayed apprenticeship starts as they get to grips with the system.<\/p>\n The OU\u2019s David Willett, Corporate Director, encourages businesses to persevere, and to make the most of the levy and the new opportunity it brings to develop the skills of their workforce. He says:<\/p>\n It\u2019s true that the apprenticeship levy isn\u2019t working for everyone yet, but every new process has teething problems and needs time to develop and adapt.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cThe fact is, the UK skills deficit is an issue that needs to be invested in. We shouldn\u2019t be discouraged because of a few hurdles. The skills shortage is costing the economy \u00a32.2 billion a year \u2013 surely a little time and energy is worth it?\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s no doubt that the apprenticeship levy has presented organisations with challenges. Some companies see the levy as \u2018a payroll tax\u2019, and are unsure how to make it work for them, while others see potential, but need to be reassured of quality and relevance of training from external providers.<\/p>\n Accessing the funding also differs across the UK \u2013 although all UK employers with a pay bill over \u00a33 million have to pay in to the levy, only those in England can directly access the levy funding for training, whilst the situation differs in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.<\/p>\nConcerns<\/h2>\n
Give it<\/strong> time<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>Turning a challenge into an opportunity<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Open to everyone<\/h2>\n