Job swap

Following all the recent hype about apprenticeships it is surprising to see a worthwhile initiative emerge, whereby top bosses switch places with apprentices to see what each other’s roles are like - pay and perks excluded, of course.

The scheme is part of National Apprenticeship Week and is intended to to highlight the value of apprenticeships to both individuals and employers, for a day at least.

Among those taking part is skills minister Matthew Hancock, who will don overalls to swap with Jenny Westworth, a manufacturing engineer at BAE’s site in Warton, Lancashire. She also happens to be ‘apprentice champion of the year’.

“I look forward to completing the swap and joining Jenny in her role over the summer and would encourage more MPs and company bosses to take part in job swaps to see the real impact apprentices have,” Hancock rightly declared.

What he might have added, though, is that there is too often a complete disconnect between senior management, trainees and employees in UK manufacturing companies.

The job-swap initiative should only be seen as a starting point for them to put this right.