Skills Academy boss: Follow Scotland's lead to keep young talent
7 Sep 2009
Phil Jones: “We urge Ministers to follow Scotland’s lead and apply some innovative thinking to come up with a fast and practical response to the problem of attracting and retaining the young talent our industries need.”
London -The government should follow Scotland’s lead in developing innovative ways to help employers maintain their apprenticeship programmes in the face of the recession, Phil Jones, chief executive officer of the National Skills Academy Process Industries (NSAPI), has urged.
Jones cited two schemes being run by the Scottish Government that, he said, show how the problem could be tackled. These include a recently announced a ‘two for the price of one’ scheme for life science employers, pledging that the government would meet the full salary costs of the second apprentice.
Scottish employers also benefit from a new ‘adopt an apprentice’ scheme, which sees them being paid £2000 to recruit a redundant apprentice, according to the Skills Academy boss.
“There are more than 11,000 employers in the process industries and many of them are struggling to maintain apprenticeship levels through the current economic climate,” said Jones. “We simply cannot afford to let these young people disappear into other industries, or worse still, leave the labour market entirely because their employers can no longer afford to run or complete their apprenticeship programmes.”
Other sectors such as construction and automotive have already received government assistance, continued the skills supremo, who sees the creation of the National Apprentice Service is a step in the right direction.
“We have been lobbying hard on behalf of our members in the chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors, concluded Jones. “We now need some action, and we need it fast if this significant economic sector is to make its full contribution to the eventual upturn.
“We urge Ministers to follow Scotland’s lead and apply some innovative thinking to come up with a fast and practical response to the problem of attracting and retaining the young talent our industries need.”
NSAPI is part of a national network of 11 employer-led academies operating in crucial sectors, and works alongside chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical employers to help them address the skills issues that impact upon their businesses. The £67bn turnover industries are predicted to need 24,000 apprentices to fill the gap which will be left by older workers set to retire in the next decade.
