NEU comments on Education Committee report on Apprenticeships

Commenting on The apprenticeships ladder of opportunity: quality not quantity, a report by the House of Commons Education Committee, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:

“The National Education Union agrees that there is a lot of work to be done on improving the quality and accessibility of apprenticeships. While there are many excellent programmes, too many offer poor quality training and no progression into a decent job. Far too many apprentices fail to complete their programmes as a result of inadequate training and lack of support.

“The government need to do more to ensure that young people have the opportunity to access apprenticeships. While there is certainly the demand from young people, employers are reluctant to hire them, preferring to recruit older and existing employees.”