Apprenticeships used to be an esteemed form of skills training, leading to relatively secure and well paid careers. Now the government are trading on the word’s positive connotations while selling short millions of young people.
Three years ago, this was already such a problem that the Richard Review was demanding that apprenticeships should last at least a year – a shockingly weak expectation.
Now Ofsted are up in arms at the poor quality of training. According to Michael Wilshaw, some learners are not even aware they are on an apprenticeship, and low-level skills such as coffee-making are being accredited. He claims that ‘very few apprenticeships are delivering professional-level skills in the areas most needed’.
For further information, see Now apprenticeships failed by Ofsted (Radicaled) and download Martin Allen’s new book Hard labour: young people moving into work in difficult times.
Reclaiming Schools 