Policy Exchange publishes report on apprenticeships

In response to the Policy Exchange report, “The Skills We Need, And Why We Don’t Have Them”, David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges (AoC), said: “Policy Exchange rightly highlights the unhelpful nature of the Government’s target of three million new apprenticeships by 2020. The target is about apprentices starting their work and study rather than about the quality of the experience and the outcome of that training and education. “Apprenticeships need to be both valuable to the apprentice and the employer; giving people the experience and transferable skills to help them launch a career. “In our Autumn Statement submission, we recommend that the Government considers topslicing the apprenticeship levy to not only promote access to apprenticeships but to also help raise the quality of apprenticeships and to focus more on outcomes. The new Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education will have a key role to play in addressing and ensuring the quality of apprenticeships.”