Apprenticeships off to a positive start

Nearly 4000 new electrotechnical apprentices have been recruited across England in the first three months of the 2021/2022 academic year.

Figures from The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education have shown that the intake of electrical apprentices also remained strong throughout the coronavirus pandemic, demonstrating the value employers place on apprenticeships as the preferred route for training. 

Currently there are around 28,000 apprentices in training in England, with nearly 17,000 of these under the age of 19. Over 80% of these apprentices are employed by non-levy paying companies, highlighting the strong industry tradition of apprentice recruitment amongst small employers. 

These recent apprenticeship intake figures are extremely encouraging, however more needs to be done. Demand for apprenticeships continues to outstrip supply and we need more employers to get involved if we are to address the skills shortage. We’ll be doing more this year to encourage employers to employ apprentices and help them realise the benefits this can bring. 

There has also been positive skills news elsewhere in the industry - since the launch of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, hundreds of adults have taken advantage of the funding for industry recognised electrical training and benefitted from upskilling. This excellent Government initiative is currently funding the industry Level 3 Technical Diploma or, for those with work experience, the Level 3 NVQ for those who don’t currently have a Level 3 qualification. Both of the funded qualifications form part of TESP’s industry approved training routes to becoming fully qualified. 

The Skills Guarantee is soon set to benefit even more people. From April 2022, any adult in England who is earning under £18,525 annually, or is unemployed, can also access one of these free qualifications – even if they already have a Level 3 qualification or higher. 

There are no short cuts to becoming a qualified electrician, so it’s excellent to see there is interest in not only apprenticeships, but also Level 3 qualifications that are backed by the industry and form part of the approved, quality training routes. 

As well as encouraging businesses to do more, it’s also important to improve the training provider infrastructure so learners and employers receive a quality training experience. Our work will continue into 2022 and beyond to support this.

For more information on the Lifetime Skills Guarantee visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/free-courses-for-jobs