Employers to design top quality apprenticeships

The employers from across 37 more trailblazing sectors are designing new apprenticeships to best meet the skills needs of their industries.

They will develop apprenticeships in sectors ranging from nuclear to fashion and the armed forces, and will bring the total number of employers involved in designing apprenticeships as part of the trailblazers project to over 1000.

In Halifax, 1,080 young people started apprenticeships between 2013 and 2014.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “Across the country apprenticeships are a driving force behind getting young people the skills that employers want and the economy needs. Our reforms have empowered businesses large and small to design and deliver world-beating apprenticeships that offer a real route to a successful career.”

Employers including PwC, BAE Systems and Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue will work with organisations from across their industries to develop the new apprenticeships. In addition to this, employers involved in the earlier phases of the trailblazers initiative are to develop a further 47 high quality apprenticeships.

Trailblazers are groups of leading employers within a sector working together to develop new apprenticeship standards for occupations ranging from welder to police officer.

Launched in October last year, the trailblazers initiative aims to ensure that every apprentice in England is enrolled on a scheme that has been designed and approved by employers.

More than 300 apprentices have now started on approved standards since September 2014 in the automotive and energy and utilities sectors with further starts planned soon.