Industry concern over apprenticeship pilots

The Perceptions Group and People 1st, the sector skills council for the hospitality industry, welcomed changes to put employers at the heart of the apprenticeship scheme but branded it “disappointing” that service sectors had not been named among the trail-blazers that will test the model.

The new scheme, developed in response to last November’s Richard Review, which called for higher-quality training, was unveiled by Prime Minister David Cameron last week.​

It gives employers the chance to design standards to meet the specific needs of their industry, which will replace all current frameworks by 2017/18.

More than 60 UK firms will trail-blaze the new apprenticeship-standard format but a lack of service sector representatives has prompted concern that models developed by other industries will not be relevant for hospitality businesses.

Disappointing​

“It is disappointing to note that the hospitality sector is not included in the pilot for the new apprenticeships and, as a sector, we should be at the forefront of these types of initiatives,” Perceptions vice-chairman Anthony Pender said.

Brian Wisdom, chief executive of People 1st, agreed: “Given that employers have been preparing for these changes, it’s disappointing that neither our industry nor any other service sector has been named among the trail-blazers to test the model.

“The employer groups that we’ve been working with have expressed strong concerns that the models that are developed may not work for their business.”

MP Matthew Hancock, skills and enterprise minister, said: “Employers and professional bodies understand the skills needed in their sectors and the opportunities for new apprenticeships to provide these.

“We want to give employers an early opportunity to lead the development of the new-style apprenticeships in their sector. The first trail-blazers will start work on new apprenticeships immediately.”