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28th January 2021
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CIPD responds to Richard Review of Apprenticeships
Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development research amongst employers supports the conclusions of the Richard Review of Apprenticeships published earlier this week, that greater employer ownership of the apprenticeship system is needed to ensure apprenticeships continue to play a greater and more effective role in meeting the current and future skills needs of UK employers.
"Apprenticeships are playing a growing role in employer efforts to meet their future skills needs," says Katerina Rudiger, Skills Adviser at CIPD. "However, amongst employers who are not yet turning to apprenticeships, our research, conducted as part of the CIPD Learning to Work campaign finds concerns about the extent to which apprenticeships are sufficiently tailored to their needs (25%) and or not sufficiently relevant to their sector (24%) as the biggest obstacles (*Figures taken from the CIPD Learning to Work Survey Report).
In this context, the recommendations from the Richard Review of Apprenticeships are welcome, with a clear emphasis on employers owning the process of defining what a good apprenticeship looks like, and on funding for apprenticeships being channelled through employers. Together, these recommendations will deliver far greater employer collaboration and ownership of the apprenticeships system.
"Apprenticeships are a growing success story. But future skills needs are an urgent priority for employers and the UK economy. Having commissioned Doug Richard to complete this important work, it is now imperative that the Government commits to implementing these recommendations, and acts to do so quickly.
"The faster that these recommendations are implemented, the more quickly even more consistently high-quality, employer-led apprenticeships can be created. This will also make an important contribution to ensuring that the perception of apprenticeships is enhanced amongst parents, teachers and others who influence education and career choices - which, as Doug Richard notes, is crucial to ensuring that the supply of young people inspired to follow this route to developing work-based skills and entering employment continues to grow.
"We welcome Doug Richard's recommendation that employers and professional bodies should take the lead role in establishing high quality apprenticeship qualifications for their sectors. The CIPD, as a professional body and through work with our 135,000 members and the employers they work for, will work actively to embrace and promote this challenge, and to ensure Doug Richard's ambitions for apprenticeships are realised."
30th November 2012