Engineers 'unaware' of government support for apprentices
Apprenticeships nonetheless popular with firms
- Published in News.
Support for firms: Cash incentives of £1,500 per candidate are available
The majority of engineering bosses are unaware of the level of financial support available from the government for apprenticeships, a survey has found.
New wage incentives of £1,500 per candidate are now available for employers and training is completely government-funded for 16-18 year olds, but almost 80% of engineering managers surveyed were “completely unaware” of the support available, the survey said.
The report, which was commissioned by Skills Solutions, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce's training provider, quizzed bosses at more than 150 engineering firms. It also found that
87 % of engineering employers from across the UK believe that apprentices make “more motivated and satisfied” employees and were prepared to appoint apprentices to management positions later on in their careers.
Skills Solutions said its ‘Yes to Apprenticeships’ scheme offered employers a free recruitment service along with a large pool of suitable candidates to choose from, including youngsters looking to avoid the rising costs of university fees by choosing a vocational training route.
Cathy Broderick, director of industrial sectors at Skills Solutions, said: “Our ‘Yes to Apprenticeships’ campaign is all about getting more engineering employers to open their businesses to the next generation of skilled workers.
“All of our apprentices are trained to the highest standards, which allows the trainee to take new methods and procedures from the classroom into a real life working situation, directly benefiting the employer and the existing workforce. We also offer a roll on/roll off scheme, meaning that an apprentice can start an engineering apprenticeship at any time, they don’t have to wait until September to start learning.
“We believe in providing our employers with a complete support system, fully screening and interviewing potential candidates for roles which results in the only highest calibre applicants being put forward for interview. Our commitment doesn’t stop at recruitment either, once the candidate is placed, we will be there for the employer and employee at every stage throughout the learning journey.”