UCU response to education select committee's apprenticeships report

UCU said the report was right to highlight that apprenticeships aren't working well enough for young people and backed its call for high-quality careers advice for all young people.

The union also called for an urgent rethink of government policy that will focus much of future education budgets into apprenticeships at the expense of other important areas of learning.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The government's efforts to expand apprenticeships should be applauded but ministers must recognise that one size simply doesn't fit all. Flexibility is crucial in order to cater for the needs of different types of students and employers.

'Linking apprenticeships to youth unemployment and stripping away funding for other types of courses risks damaging their status as a high-quality training option. We welcome the report's emphasis on the importance of careers advice and support moves to ensure all young people get better advice from an early age.'