Government launches consultation on Richard Review of apprenticeships 14 March 2013

The government's publication today (14 March 2013) of a consultation document in response to Doug Richard's independent review of apprenticeships, has received a muted welcome.

"It is welcome that the government realises the importance of providing meaningful, targeted apprenticeships that meet industry standards and lead to real jobs," comments Stephen Tetlow, chief executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

"It is disappointing, however, that there is no mention of funding apprenticeships through a National Insurance or tax credit system – one of the key recommendations in the Richard Review," he continues.

"Over the next 10 years, the UK needs to be recruiting about 87,000 engineers a year, just to stand still. We are currently only producing half this number."

Meanwhile, skills chief Sarah Sillars, CEO of Semta – which helps provide skills to the science, engineering, manufacturing and technology sectors – has pledged to help government and industry find a new way of working to ensure that the skills gap is plugged in the wake of the Richard Review response.

"Employer ownership is a key factor in developing apprenticeships to help secure Britain's role in science and engineering." States Sillars.

"The government understands the importance that apprenticeships will play in the future prosperity of the country, and industry is crying out for a more secure and plentiful supply of skilled labour," she continues.

"The Richard Review has identified that we need to overhaul the image of apprenticeships – reach out to parents, teachers and young people themselves, to show just what is on offer... We at Semta intend to play a major role in doing just that."

And EAL managing director Ann Watson takes a similar line.

"We will play a pivotal role. Employer ownership is the way forward – and that has been recognised by Richard and the government," ," she says.

"There is much work to be done before the new statutes are set in stone – and EAL has hit the ground running," she adds.

The Richard Review of Apprenticeships, published in November 2012, looked at how apprenticeships in England needed to meet the needs of the rebalancing economy.

Government insists that it has accepted the review's assessment of the challenges and opportunities and says that its proposed reforms place control of apprenticeships more firmly back in the hands of employers.

The government response is now inviting contributions from those interested in the future of apprenticeships by 22 May 2013, with a view to confirming its implementation plan in the autumn.

BrianTinham

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Department for Business Innovation & Skills

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