1 February 2010
Apprentices key to long-term recovery
At the start of National Apprenticeship Week
(February 1 – 5) new figures from Semta, the Sector Skills Council
for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, reveal
that the number of 16-24 year-olds embarking on engineering
apprenticeships have increased by more than 10 per cent in the last
twelve months, despite the recent economic downturn.
As the latest official statistics suggest that
the UK is finally emerging from recession, these young people will
be vital to recovery in the long-term, according to Bill Twigg,
Development Director at Semta.
“Last week the Office of National Statistics
published a quarterly report showing that the UK economy grew by
0.1 per cent in the last quarter of 2009, the first such rise in
around 18 months. The rise in growth was weaker than many had
predicted and many experts believe that a sustained recovery will
need to be export led.
“In order to achieve this, UK manufacturing
and engineering firms will need to be able to compete against
overseas competition. They can only do this with the help of a
highly skilled workforce. Semta can support employers to
develop skills through our end to end service and encourage
employers to improve the supply of skills.”
The apprenticeship service developed by Semta
has been designed to meet the skills needs of employers whilst
making it easier than ever to take on an apprentice. Apprentices
have the chance to work towards recognised NVQ Level 2 and 3
qualifications whilst earning a wage and performing an important
role within a business.
In the 2008/2009 academic year, 15,300 young
people were taken on as engineering apprentices – up from 13,900
the previous year – and the Semta apprenticeship service has
contributed significantly to the increase.
Added Bill Twigg: “It is heartening to see so
many young people realising that engineering offers an exciting and
rewarding career and we expect the trend to continue. We are also
delighted that an increasing number of UK companies recognise that
equipping young people with appropriate skills through our
apprenticeship programme will help them compete in a global
marketplace.”
One of the many companies to benefit from an
apprenticeship programme is Metsec, a leading manufacturer of
cold-rolled metal products for the building industry.
Said Steve Giles, Training Manager at the
Oldbury-based firm: “We’ve three apprentices in maintenance and
they are a key part of the team. Young people soak up information
and learn and retain a variety of things, quickly becoming
competent at doing the job.
“Even more importantly, they have saved us
more than £60,000 thanks to continuous improvement projects they
have completed in the workplace as part of their apprenticeship
training.”