Meeting the skills needs of the future

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Misconceptions about the value of apprenticeships must be addressed, says Sue Breetzke of LSN.

Why is Apprenticeship Week of such importance?

I think the big issue is increasing the number of apprentices across the UK. This is imperative if we are going to meet the skills needs of the future.

There is a lot of commentary focusing on the short-term aims, which are very real – jobs for school leavers and graduates, university fees and debt. These are real drivers, but the bigger and longer-term issues, as a result of these short-term challenges, is a workforce that is unable to compete globally, due to lack of skills. This is the serious issue, which exists and needs to be addressed.

Apprenticeship Week will raise the profile of apprentices and address misconceptions that are held. These misconceptions are held by both apprentices and employers and include the belief that apprenticeships are only available in traditional occupations, that they are bureaucratic and problematic, and that they don't lead to well-paid jobs.

We have just emerged from an era where the message was that everybody should go to university. Raising the profile of apprenticeships begins to address some misconceptions and, hopefully, takes us into a future where we have the skills that we need as a nation.

What work does the LSN apprenticeship agency undertake?

The apprenticeship agency is the name under which LSN apprenticeships, a wholly owned subsidiary of LSN, trades. This has a national offering to providers who want to expand their work-based learning offering by providing an Apprenticeship Training Agency (ATA) solution to employers who traditionally haven't taken on apprentices or may no longer be able to take on apprentices for all manner of reasons.

The apprenticeship agency offers a turn-key solution for ATA set-up or a shared-services model which enables providers to very quickly offer an ATA alongside their apprenticeship provision.

The agency also owns its own ATA, in partnership with Oxford and Cherwell Valley college, which is based in Reading.

Have you been impressed with the coalition's approach to apprenticeships?

I am encouraged that the coalition has maintained the momentum that was started under the Labour government and put more money into apprenticeships. 'Encouraged' is the word!

They are working on a clearer approach to funding and contract values, which providers are telling us are causing a lot of trouble for them.

What more can be done to promote the benefits to employers of taking on an apprentice?

I don't think that apprenticeships should be seen as the 'silver bullet' that solves all problems. Growth has got to come and there need to be wider policies that can pick up and stimulate the economy.

There is some great work being done by providers, FE colleges, the National Apprenticeships Service and we need to keep this up. Employers who never would have thought about taking on an apprentice need to be reached.

The most popular framework in the last year was administration. That is not historically something that employers would associate with apprenticeships. There are so many different opportunities out there – such as in digital media.

The UK is one of, if not the, leading country for online game development. However, the industry does not take on apprentices, they only take on graduates. Why not apprenticeships? I think there is a barrier there. We are dealing with a generation for whom digital media is a second language – there is certainly work to be done in penetrating those markets.

What message would you seek to send to the general public about the value of apprenticeships?

I would send a simple message – apprenticeships are a real option for learners wanting a career, and for businesses wanting to grow.