Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Social mobilityApprenticeshipsLatest NewsRecruitment & retentionTraining strategies

Apprenticeships vital to improving prospects for disadvantaged people

by Ashleigh Webber 13 Sep 2018
by Ashleigh Webber 13 Sep 2018 FELIPE TRUEBA/EPA/REX/Shutterstock
FELIPE TRUEBA/EPA/REX/Shutterstock

Apprenticeships and other “earn and learn” programmes are key to improving social mobility and addressing the UK’s productivity gap, a report from campaign group The 5% Club has claimed.

Apprenticeships

How to employ an apprentice

Apprenticeship starts continue to fall a year after levy introduced

The Playing to our Strengths report argues that employers are currently failing to develop “the brightest and the best”, which risks stifling economic growth and reducing opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

It proposes that there should be greater variety in the level of apprenticeships offered, including a focus on intermediate apprenticeships, and better promotion of what apprenticeships are to address outdated perceptions that they are “second best”.

Employers are also encouraged to forge links with schools and colleges in deprived areas to increase the access disadvantaged young people have to work experience, which the report says is particularly beneficial to the employability of those from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Other recommendations include:

  • widening the scope of the apprenticeship levy into a broader skills levy, allowing it to be spent on other types of technical training;
  • increasing flexibility in the 45-60 day specification for T-level work placements, which would ensure more employers are able to engage with them;
  • rethinking the “default” practice of offering informal work experience to children of friends and family, which the report says reinforces social inequalities;
  • increasing education of the workplace during the primary school years; and
  • increasing the number of schools that allow employers to speak to children about the range of employment opportunities on offer.

Leo Quinn, chairman and founder of The 5% Club – which urges employers to employ 5% of its workforce in “earn and learn” positions within five years – said: “Business leaders and government urgently need to join forces to address the lack of social mobility in the UK today.

“Central to this is raising awareness amongst young people from less advantaged backgrounds about going down the route of ‘earn and learn’ to start building long-term careers while being paid. Many of our key industries are crying out for skilled workers to train on the job – so it’s a tragedy if we fail to reach those who desperately need this chance.”

The report also recommends that employers look at whether there are any internal barriers to appointing and promoting those from disadvantaged backgrounds. They should also consider programmes that support their personal development.

“As employers we must ensure that traditional recruitment methods are not inherently discriminatory,” said Quinn. “We must open up early work experience or internships to all – the first vital step into the world of work. Equally, positive careers advice in schools can tear down the perception that apprenticeships are ‘second best’.”

Justin Madders MP, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on social mobility, commented: “By widening access, organisations benefit from an increased pool of skills and experience; the more a company’s staff reflect their customers the greater understanding they will have of their wishes.

“Having diverse workforces, which encompass many different talents, backgrounds and experiences is crucial if we are to develop dynamic organisations.”

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and part of the Personnel Today editorial team. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport.

previous post
Morrisons faces £1bn equal pay claim
next post
Learning Live 2018: Six snippets of advice for L&D professionals

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Green energy jobs given lift by new Delivery...

12 May 2022

Future Skills Unit ‘will help learners make better...

8 Apr 2022

Half of employers want to replace apprenticeship levy...

7 Apr 2022

Childcare: Bright Horizons’ mission to elevate the profession

24 Mar 2022

B&Q and Screwfix pay to rise from April

22 Mar 2022

‘Clear market failure’ to meet reskilling needs, say...

15 Mar 2022

Kickstart is ‘chaotic’ and failing employers and young...

25 Feb 2022

How to improve uptake of apprenticeship schemes

22 Feb 2022

Two in five report lack of candidates needed...

14 Feb 2022

Apprenticeships to unlock potential for prisoners

11 Feb 2022
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+