Value of apprentices highlighted

Apr 5 2008 by Nicholas Craig, The Journal

THE first national Apprenticeships Week took place recently. My usual scorn for manufactured ‘weeks’ to garner publicity is missing on this occasion. Apprenticeships are a great way in which to learn a profession or trade, and are in need of a year-long spotlight to reveal their value.

The North East’s business marketing has focused on hi-tech expertise and academic credibility to boost the region, rather than promote apprenticeships.

Now we hear of a massive shortage of plumbers across the UK, with similar shortfalls in bricklayers, joiners and electricians.

The new Apprenticeships campaign promoted by the Learning and Skills Council is helping boost their number in the North East – 7,940 people completed an apprenticeship in this region in 2007, 60% of those who signed up.

In 2004, only 30% managed to complete the course.

The increasing debts of university students compare unfavourably with those of apprenticeships who ‘earn while they learn’. The UK still pushes young people towards degrees rather than to skills training. Only 15% of school-leavers in Britain enter apprenticeships compared with 75% in Switzerland, for example.

Gordon Brown said in February that apprenticeships in the North East for 16 to 18-year-olds will double to 10,000 in the next five years. That’s good news, but it needs to be met by more businesses signing up.

Hats off to the Derwentside Engineering Forum, which has persuaded 10 businesses to give around £15,000 in cash and £50,000 of equipment to run apprenticeship courses at Derwentside College.

The scheme is attracting more member companies as a result. There are now 33 members, with forums being set up in Sedgefield and Easington.

Apprenticeships will restore the balance I feel is missing. We need highly-qualified people to drive forward our companies. We also need to keep the buildings, transport, homes and offices functioning well. Many skilled tradespeople go on to work for themselves, increasing the number of successful entrepreneurs of which we can boast in the North East.

Nicholas Craig is a partner at Watson Burton Law Firm