During the past few months I have uncovered a great deal of uncertainty around what an Apprentice is and what is expected of them. Certainly the beloved BBC programme does little to shed much light with its demands for candidates who have done nothing less than set up a million pound turnover business by the age of 17. At the other extreme, there are examples of organisations looking to jump on the apprentice bandwagon but who have done little to erase the common prejudice among line managers, expected to manage and train them, that all 16 year olds are capable of little more than Facebook profile management.
For many, apprenticeships are the building blocks to a career
Announcements over the past year that the government would provide extra funding for businesses willing to createmore apprenticeships has, in these tough economic times, seen a surge in interest and calls from the boardroom to create them. With the aftermath of university education too looking so bleak, there is also increased interest from young people in alternatives to a degree and more vocational training.
Click here to read more of Amy’s views on getting apprenticeships right
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