Junior apprenticeships in Welsh further education

Education is fundamental to achieving a workforce that is productive and sustainable. However, some young people struggle to cope with the requirements of formal mainstream education, and yet there is an expectation that they will somehow cope within an informal college environment.

Wales is offering alternative curriculum, the Junior Apprenticeship (JA) Programme, aimed at young people 14-16 years old who are either at risk of disengaging with the school system and becoming NEET, or (on occasions), have a very clear idea of the vocational pathway they wish to follow. The JA programme seeks to raise educational standards and is aligned to the Welsh government's priority sector

The following paper presents key findings of a Wales joint trade union survey relating to junior apprenticeships which is followed by UCU's policy position on junior apprenticeships and the actions required in order to address the issues identified. This paper has been presented and approved by the Further Education Sector Committee (FESC) and has been referred to Welsh government for their consideration.

UCU Cymru: junior apprenticeships in Wales, Jun 19 [212kb]

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