Calls for three-year apprenticeships to provide more rounded education

Speaking during National Apprenticeship Week 2014, the union said it welcomed the recent growth in apprenticeship numbers and the support politicians continue to give to the programmes. UCU called for proper pay for apprenticeships of at least the national minimum wage, as some currently pay less an hour than paper rounds.
 
The union said apprenticeship education should not just about learning the skills and theory necessary in a chosen field, but also cover employability skills, citizenship education, rights and responsibilities at work to ensure apprentices receive a well-rounded education.
 
Apprenticeships in this country are unusual in that they only last for a minimum of 12 months and UCU believes that in order to provide a holistic education (to include work-based employment and off-site learning) they should last a minimum of three years, with a certified professional title awarded upon completion.
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt said: 'The key to the success of apprenticeships is to ensure they benefit the apprentice, the employer and the country. They have the potential to be a key lever in increasing social mobility and should have education and fair remuneration at their heart.
 
'The inherent value of education makes the case for continued and increased investment in vocational education. We believe it is time to look at a radical overhaul of what constitutes an apprenticeship and explore the idea of longer courses that ensure apprentices receive a much more rounded education and fair pay.
 
'As well as becoming a skilled practitioner in their chosen field, apprentices should receive a holistic college education with off-site learning and receive a certified title at the end of their course.
 
'Apprenticeships should be this country's success story and we hope there is a genuine will from government and businesses for this to happen. Colleges have the expertise to deliver the courses the country needs and to ensure their success but we need the continued engagement with, and support from, government, business and the local community.'