Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, has backed the findings of a highly critical report into apprenticeships by education watchdog Ofsted.
The report accused the Government of devaluing the “apprenticeship brand” by creating them in ever greater numbers, while the chief inspector of schools Sir Michael Wilshaw said there were too many poor apprenticeships. 
James Durie, pictured, executive director of Bristol Chamber of Commerce and Initiative – part of Business West – said apprenticeships were valuable but that a “conveyor-belt model” would hit the quality of skills training in the region.
“It is hardly a secret that the skills gap between education and business is affecting many firms on a daily basis, and holding back their growth,” he said.
“Skills is an issue which comes up in virtually every conversation with businesses in our region and is a key limiter holding them back. Our latest local business survey results highlight this, showing that of firms that tried to recruit in the last three months, 57% found it difficult to recruit suitably skilled staff.
“This is not something we are going to solve overnight but apprenticeships can part of a solution, and we have been working hard to push this message out to the business community.
“Sir Michael Wilshaw is though right to challenge the status quo. A conveyor-belt model focused just on hitting the Government’s target of 3m new apprenticeships could well be detrimental to quality.
“The overriding priority has to be delivering high standards, shifting people up the skills ladder, with training providers accountable for the long-term results they deliver, and employers offering positions which challenge, stretch and progress apprentices.
“We need quality and quantity leading to economic growth as a consequence, particularly through increased productivity.”
Business West is staging four events in the South West as part of the ‘Your Future’ initiative – the first is dedicated to engineering apprenticeships on November 26 in Bristol.
Meanwhile the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is launch its Apprenticeship Ambition on November 5.
Launching the Ofsted report, Sir Michael Wilshaw said: “Too many of our further education providers have focused for too long on equipping youngsters with dubious qualifications of little economic relevance. And too many employers have not engaged with schools or organised themselves effectively to make the apprenticeship system work.
“Being an apprentice should be a badge of honour. The reforms now working their way through the system are commendable. But we are kidding ourselves if we think our good intentions are enough. We have won the argument over the value of apprenticeships. We have yet to make them a sought-after and valid alternative career choice for hundreds of thousands of young people.”
