Food firms welcome PM’s apprentice plans

David Cameron will unveil plans today (August 21) to lift apprenticeships across England – including food chain roles such as butchers – and to give businesses a say on how they are run and what they offer.

Ahead of the launch, Cameron said: “The greatest asset any employer has is their workforce. And by investing in them, they are investing in the success and future of their business.​

“As a One Nation government, we are committed to supporting 3M quality apprenticeships over the next five years – to help strengthen our economy, deliver the skills that employers need and give millions more hardworking people financial security and a brighter future.”​

3M quality apprenticeships​

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said apprentices played a key role in plans to plug the industry’s skills gap.

“While food and drink manufacturing provides entry points at all levels, apprenticeships are very much at the forefront of the sector’s efforts to create a highly skilled workforce to meet future need, increasing productivity, improving competitiveness and developing a motivated workforce,”​ said FDF director of employment, skills and corporate services Angela Coleshill.

Food and drink manufacturing apprenticeships were highly skilled, longer-term, and taken up by more experienced individuals compared with other sectors, Coleshill added. The FDF and its members aimed to work with government to ensure funding for apprenticeships was routed directly to employers.

During National Apprentice Week 2015, the FDF pledged to increase the number of technical level three and above apprenticeships by 20% by 2017.

Employers will be asked for their views on the introduction of an apprenticeship levy – set to be introduced in 2017 and designed to increase investment in training and apprenticeships.

Cameron will also unveil plans to consider a firm’s apprenticeship record when awarding large government contracts and to publish new industry standards, designed to ensure apprentices have the skills companies need. 

Manufacturers’ organisation EEF thought the apprenticeship initiative left key questions unanswered.

‘Provides few answers’​

“While EEF strongly supports any initiative to increase the number of quality apprenticeships, today’s limited announcement provides few answers to the questions raised by manufacturing employers now facing a levy on their businesses,” ​said the organisation’s boss Terry Scuoler.

“With little detail of the level of the levy, who will be required to pay it and how much government will give back in return,  manufacturers have a right to remain sceptical that the levy will create the 3M additional quality apprenticeships that we all wish to see. ​

“Industry will also be very puzzled to note the market intervention for transparency on apprenticeship training in order to bid for government contracts.”​

Meanwhile, transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin was also expected to announce an ambition to boost apprenticeships across the road and rail industry – pledging 30,000 apprenticeship places in the sector during the lifetime of this parliament.