The Minister for Skills and Enterprise has praised the role of apprenticeships whilst speaking at the Voice of Apprentices Conference, which took place last week on the 4th March.
Matthew Hancock, Minister for Skills and Enterprise, said: “I have a vision where it is the norm to have the choice whether to go to university or into an apprenticeship. We need to get schools to open up and inform pupils about the opportunities.”
In response to young people condemning the current careers information, advice and guidance the Minister acknowledged that schools need to provide independent and impartial advice. He also highlighted the new UCAS website which, when launched, will showcase all of the routes through education including apprenticeships.
The Minister said that the government needs to open opportunities for apprentices.
Ben Pike, director of QA Apprenticeships Training, said: “We should all work together to make a difference to the UK’s education system, and to challenge the perceptions apprenticeships face. We have a responsibility to give school and college leavers a full range of options, and not just stick to what has gone before.”
The conference covered the following issues:
- How to improve careers information, advice and guidance (CIAG) in schools and colleges
- How to improve the wider perception of apprenticeships
- Addressing apprenticeship stereotyping and gender imbalance and how improvements can be made
- How to create professional accreditation for apprenticeship completers
- How to form a national body to represent the voices of apprentices
Read more here: http://www.apprenticeships4england.info
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