Next week sees the first national 'Apprenticeship Week' for England. As well as raising the profile of apprenticeships and drawing attention to the value they bring to businesses, employers will be encouraged to look at the apprenticeship as a means of investing in long term skills development.

Licensed by the Government as the Sector Skills Council for the automotive retail industry, the Institute of the Motor Industry recently pledged a 100% increase in the number of apprentices joining the retail motor industry over the next five years to help tackle skills shortages. Apprentices 'graduating' in the automotive sector each year account for approximately 10% of the 100,000 apprenticeships in over 80 industry sectors. The IMI wants 40,000 'home grown' apprentices in the automotive sector by 2013 and the Careers Zone at the British International Motor Show in July will see the unveiling of a major recruitment drive in partnership with employers.

Coinciding with 'Apprenticeship Week', GE's TIP Trailer Services has announced the launch of the TIP UK Workshop Apprenticeship Scheme, with the leasing and rental company seeking to make a long term investment in additional qualified technicians for its UK depot network. Eight selected apprentices will attend formal training at Stephenson College in the Midlands and at eight TIP UK branches.

This is the first time that TIP has made such a significant and serious investment in a long-term apprenticeship scheme and, concurrent with this announcement, the UK Apprenticeship Programme is also being rolled out at other businesses within GE's Equipment Services Division. TIP's UK Workshop Apprenticeship Programme will target school leavers in May and June, with the formal college training commencing in September 2008.

Jaguar and Land Rover's established Young Apprenticeship Programme is now in its second year and in addition to teaching students from the Warwickshire and West Midlands areas at its Training Academies at Gaydon and Castle Bromwich, the companies are working in partnership with ten colleges across the UK, which support over 350 students on the manufacturer's Young Apprenticeship Programme.

Supporting the IMI's objective to boost apprentice numbers, David Lammy, Minister for Skills, commented: "Such a rapidly evolving sector as automotive retail demands a highly skilled workforce and I am delighted that the IMI's plans to bring more young people into the motor industry will complement the Government's pledge to increase apprenticeships across all industries."

Steve Scofield, the IMI's Head of Skills Development, commented:

"It's very important that our industry gets behind the apprenticeship more so now than ever before as it needs capable young minds which can be developed into tomorrow's business leaders, sales professionals, master technicians and a whole host of career opportunities. We've got some of the most exciting and sophisticated products available to consumers so it should follow that we have a workforce which reflects this. Apprenticeship Week gives us the chance to celebrate apprentices as they are our future."

A key event of the week which, it is hoped will become an annual event, will be an Apprenticeships Summit at the Congress Centre in London, where a number of employers, officials and high-profile guests will debate the recently-published Apprenticeships Review and the Government's aspirations for Apprenticeships.

Employers interested in apprenticeships for their business are invited to contact the IMI for further information on 01992 511521.

Subscribe to TJ news bulletins:

| Subscribe to our L & D RSS Feed

Related News

• One year on, and on target - 52,000 employers join Train to Gain
• Government initiative is a sweetener to training for women
• Government to boost Union Learning Fund

Related Discussion Topics

• knowledge based sessions
• Product Knowledge
• Female contact in the RAF

Latest News

• Financial employers invited to focus groups
• e-skills UK starts re-licensing process
• More needs to be done to prepare young people for work
• NSG celebrates eleventh consecutive year as a procurement centre of excellence
• Highly skilled people are vital for innovation, says government-backed report