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embargo: no embargo Apprenticeships are not second-best routes to top qualifications and skillsApprenticeships* are not a sub-standard route for those who have failed to get into university; they should be a path to high-quality qualifications in their own right. Speaking on Radio 4's Woman's Hour, Scarlet Harris, the TUC's apprenticeships policy and campaigns officer, said: 'Apprenticeships are not a sub-standard route for those who have failed to achieve in the academic world or have failed to get a university place. What we are pushing for - and I think that the government is as well - is that they are seen as a valued route in themselves. They are not, as we hear anecdotally from some schools advisers, as something you do if you fail in your exams. Apprenticeships should be a high quality route into technician-style skills that can lead on to higher education, for example foundation degrees. ' The scramble for university places this year has led to calls, including from universities minister David Willetts, for apprenticeships to be an alternative. But, for every apprenticeship place there are at least 15 applications and the figure rises dramatically when it is a good scheme, Ms Harris said. The TUC believes that businesses should be providing many more opportunities for young people who want to take this route. John Hayes, skills and further education minister, said on Woman's Hour that the government has put an extra £150 million into apprenticeships. He said that getting the skills provided by apprenticeships can dramatically increase a person's earning power, with a Level 2 apprenticeship being worth an extra £73,000 over a person's lifetime and a Level 3 apprenticeship worth an extra £100,000. Scarlet Harris told the programme that women are often the losers on apprenticeship schemes, with a gender pay gap of 21 per cent. Part of this is due to women being over-represented in lower paid sectors, for example only 3 per cent go into engineering, while 92 per cent go into hairdressing. 'But even within the same sector, women are being paid less, for example in the retail sector women make up 61 per cent of apprenticeship starts but are paid 16 per cent less than male retail apprentices,' she said. 'It is also the case that the wage return for a women qualified with a Level 2 apprenticeship is 4 per cent, while for men it is 16 per cent.' Mr Hayes said he wanted to work with the National Apprenticeship Service and the unions to address this. He said: 'I am concerned that opportunities should be equal. I want to hear about what can be done to improve opportunities through encouraging people to do atypical careers. I am a great supporter of unionlearn and look forward to having a dialogue and seeing what we can do to make more progress.' Case study
Rachael Hoyle left school at 16 with 8 GCSEs, mainly As and A*s and an ICT* NVQ*. Her mum and teachers were not happy: they expected her take A-levels and go on to university. Instead, Rachael chose a different path. She is now an engineer and part of a team working on Eurofighter Typhoon jets. Rachael, 22, said: 'I always liked maths and science at school and vaguely wanted to do something with them as a career. But after doing work experience at BAE Systems, when I was in Year 10, I realised the path I wanted to take. The trip gave me a real insight into the company and a very different view of the career options open to me.' Her company paid for her attend Manchester Metropolitan on day-release to take a degree in mechanical engineering. Rachael said during her time as an apprenticeship she has given support from her union, Amicus, which works with BAE Systems to ensure quality and pay and conditions. Rachael is now waiting to move on to a new job within the company, exporting the jets. Meanwhile many of her friends who went to university are still looking for work and are saddled with graduate debts. (photo on request) NOTES TO EDITORS: Unionlearn is the TUC's learning and skills organisation All unionlearn press releases can be found at www.unionlearn.org.uk Media enquiries: Press release (800 words) issued 11 Aug 2010 |
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