Business will only benefit if focus is on Higher Level apprenticeships

Plans to help employers by creating more apprenticeships are at the heart of today’s Queen’s Speech but the focus must be on Higher Level apprenticeships according to the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

Stephanie Fernandes, Principal Policy Advisor from the  IET, said: “Although it is promising that we have seen a doubling of Intermediate apprenticeships (Level 2) it is critically important that the number of Higher apprenticeships (Level 4) also increases in line with this to support the development of high level skills.

“The Government’s focus must be on encouraging learners, supported by employers to progress to Higher Apprenticeships. This is vital in ensuring a highly skilled workforce, which will help ensure that the UK is globally competitive and can meet the growing demands of industry, now and in the future.  It is more important than ever that apprenticeships are recognised as an equally valuable route of progression to academia and professional registration.”

The Queen’s Speech also introduced the Enterprise Bill.

Sahar Danesh, Manufacturing Principal Policy Advisor from the IET said: “Cutting bureaucracy and red tape will help UK manufacturing to deliver growth that will benefit the UK economy.

“In addition to this we need a long-term vision with consistent policies to help manufacturing companies increase their productivity and grow.  There must be greater effort in ensuring businesses are aware of the range of Government support schemes that will help them grow and allow them to become globally competitive.”
 


Notes to editors

  • Interview opportunities are available with IET spokespeople from a broad range of engineering and technology disciplines including cyber-security, energy, engineering skills, innovation, manufacturing, technology, transport and women in engineering.
  • The IET is one of the world’s largest engineering institutions with nearly 160,000 members in 127 countries. It is also the most multidisciplinary – to reflect the increasingly diverse nature of engineering in the 21st century. Energy, transport, manufacturing, information and communications, and the built environment: the IET covers them all.
  • The IET is working to engineer a better world by inspiring, informing and influencing our members, engineers and technicians, and all those who are touched by, or touch, the work of engineers.
  • We want to build the profile of engineering and change outdated perceptions about engineering in order to tackle the skills gap. This includes encouraging more women to become engineers and growing the number of engineering apprentices.
  • For more information, visit www.theiet.org
  • Follow the IET on Twitter.