On 14th of June, the government made the welcome announcement that the term ‘apprenticeship’ will be protected in law, through the upcoming Enterprise Bill.
The aim of this is to strengthen the reputation of apprenticeship programmes, help working people, and ensure apprenticeships are recognised as a career path that’s equal to higher education. Essentially, they will now be given the same legal treatment as degrees. Government also provided a commitment to create 3 million apprenticeships by 2020, something that will also be enshrined in law. As part of these changes, they will have new powers to take action when the term ‘apprenticeship’ is misused to promote low quality courses.
Speaking about these new changes, Skills Minster Nick Boles said:
” If university graduates have their moment in the sun so should people who undertake apprenticeships. Businesses know their value so it’s high time they were recognised both by the public and in law as being equal to degrees. We want far more employers to get involved in apprenticeships. This means making sure that we practise what we preach in government…”
Since 2010, 2.2 million apprenticeships have been created and this has helped the UK become the fastest growing economy in the G7. We’ve frequently explored the proven benefits apprenticeships can provide to businesses in terms of productivity and increased earnings. We’re incredibly pleased about this new Bill and the opportunities will help create. Our own work with apprenticeship programmes continues to grow from strength to strength. We also put the specific needs of employers and apprentices first, providing a service that’s truly is industry-leading. Going above the standard framework, the added value qualifications we provide ensure apprentices get access to a wider range of training and qualifications. This, in turn, helps create a more valuable and well-rounded employee for businesses to utilise.