The Skills Funding Agency and Department for Business, Innovation & Skills have today released information on the number of apprenticeship starts and achievements in the UK.
It is excellent news for the hospitality industry, showing that licensed hospitality apprenticeships are on the increase with starts and completions increasing by a staggering 814% and 314% respectively.
The ALMR (Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers) has responded by praising the sector’s ability to provide great quality on the job training and has urged the Government to do more to support hospitality apprenticeships.
ALMR Chief Executive, Kate Nicholls said: “Apprenticeships are a great way of providing employees with robust transferable skills, and businesses with a knowledgeable, enthusiastic workforce. This is particularly apparent in the licensed hospitality sector where the number of both starters, and those completing training, are on the rise.”
Kate notes that the industry has a “wealth of expertise that they are ready and willing to offer” and suggest that a proper focus from the Government is needed to develop these opportunities by “fully funding apprenticeships for 19-24 year olds, increasing funding for over-25s and encouraging businesses with bonuses every time they take on an apprentice,” allowing the sector to capitalise on these encouraging statistics.
Kate also said: “The ALMR has also urged the Government to lower the cost of employment by removing the jobs tax for under-25s. The scrapping of National Insurance Contributions for under-21s has provided a boost to employment in licensed hospitality; an extension of this approach to under-25s will help the sector continue its good work.”
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