The Richards Review, by entrepreneur Doug Richards, has warned that the traditional relationship between employer and apprentice has been lost, with some training lasting only a matter of months.
Mr Richards is concerned that the popularity of apprenticeships has watered down the quality of the training and led to calling any on-the-job training an apprenticeship, when in reality, it is not.
Asked by Business Secretary Vince Cable and Education Secretary Michael Gove to review the future of apprenticeships in England, Mr Richards, who is a former Dragons’ Den investor and founder of School for Startups, has taken a long-term view in the report.
In the review, Mr Richards complains that ‘upskilling’ courses, that last for a matter of weeks, are valuable but should not be called apprenticeships.
In Mr Richards’ opinion, apprenticeships should last for at least a year, be robustly tested and validated and must demand high standards in maths and English.
He also warns that the relationship between the employer and trainee is being lost, as the standards for traditional apprenticeships should be formulated by employers, and should not be government-led initiatives shaped by training professionals.
Vince Cable has welcomed the report, as he said that it echoes the Government’s commitment to put employers in the driving seat of training programmes.
The Federation of Small Businesses is now urging the Government to take the findings of this review, the Holt review and of the BIS select committee as a whole and to publish a combined response, as it says that any future changes to training and apprenticeships must be strategic and long-term.
For more information, please contact Glazers, Chartered Accountants London or visit www.glazers.co.uk
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