NIACE apprenticeship event with Microsoft Tuesday, March 6, 2012 - 12:12

How individual employers, apprentices and the wider public benefit from the Apprenticeship program - and how much the Government should invest in it - was the focus of a round-table discussion, held by NIACE and Microsoft in London on Tuesday 6 March 2012.

Joining NIACE and Microsoft at Striking a Balance: Reviewing the Apprenticeship Agenda, were senior representatives from BT, NHS, Babcock International Group, BAE Systems Ltd, Pearson Education, McDonald's, CIPD, the National Apprenticeship Service and Westminster Kingsway College.

Throughout the event delegates discussed three main questions:

i. Are apprenticeships unequal - if so why does it matter and what needs to be done about it?

ii. How do we determine who benefits and who should pay for apprenticeships at different levels for people of different ages?

iii. How does and should the voice of apprentices contribute to the delivery, quality and design of frameworks?

David Hughes, Chief Executive of NIACE, said:

"It's great that Apprenticeships are the centrepiece of the Government's approach to increasing workforce skills. As well as providing new opportunities, their expansion and development raises some challenges for us to agree the best shape, purpose and quality of them."

"NIACE's role is to facilitate and encourage others to engage in discussions which ultimately result in improving the learning experience. Apprenticeships are a key area for adult learning and this event will help NIACE, and others, to define areas of strength and weakness and how partnerships between Government, industry, providers and agencies will result in better quality apprenticeships for more people, as well as a better deal for the public."