Skills Chief urges swift action on apprentices
01 September 2009
THE CEO of the National Skills Academy Process Industries, Phil Jones, has called on the government to follow Scotland’s lead in developing innovative ways to help employers maintain their apprenticeship programmes in the face of the recession.
The Skills Academy is part of a national network of 11 employer-led academies operating in crucial sectors, and works alongside chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical employers to help them address the skills issues that impact upon their businesses. The £67bn turnover industries are predicted to need 24,000 apprentices to fill the gap which will be left by older workers set to retire in the next decade.
The Academy boss is holding up two schemes being run by the Scottish Government, which he says are examples of how the problem could be tackled. Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond recently announced a ‘two for the price of one’ scheme for life science employers, pledging that the government would meet the full salary costs of the second apprentice. Scottish employers also benefit from a new ‘adopt an apprentice’ scheme, which sees them being paid £2000 to recruit a redundant apprentice.
Phil Jones said: “There are more than 11,000 employers in the process industries and many of them are struggling to maintain apprenticeship levels through the current economic climate.
“We simply cannot afford to let these young people disappear into other industries, or worse still, leave the labour market entirely because their employers can no longer afford to run or complete their apprenticeship programmes.
“Other sectors such as construction and automotive have already received government assistance, and the creation of the National Apprentice Service is a step in the right direction.
“We have been lobbying hard on behalf of our members in the chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors. We now need some action, and we need it fast if this significant economic sector is to make its full contribution to the eventual upturn.
“We urge Ministers to follow Scotland’s lead and apply some innovative thinking to come up with a fast and practical response to the problem of attracting and retaining the young talent our industries need.”
