Engineering Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are a vital part of the UK skills mix. They will contribute to the country’s economic recovery, rebalancing and de-carbonising the economy. In a new policy statement "Engineering Apprenticeships", the Institution looks at the barriers to recruiting apprentices in engineering and manufacturing.

There have been major increases in apprenticeship uptake in recent years. This has yet to be fully reflected in engineering apprenticeships: engineering employs a greater proportion of the workforce than the proportion of apprenticeships it offers. In part this is attributable to the relatively high number of small companies in the engineering sector. Red tape and bureaucracy are still disincentives to many employers’ employing apprenticeships – particularly in smaller companies.

In the context of increased university fees, apprenticeships – particularly Higher Apprenticeships – may play an increasingly important role in higher engineering skills development. Appropriate data must be available to measure progress in this area.

In the policy statement the Institution recommends:

1. Apprenticeship promotion, support and funding should be targeted at engineering and manufacturing to increase provision in line with their contribution to GDP and proportion of the workforce.
2. The National Apprenticeships Vacancy Matching Service should be specifically tasked with working with small companies to identify ways of reducing the time and administration needed to organise and manage apprenticeships – while protecting the rigour of competence assessment.
3. The GTA apprenticeship delivery model for engineering should be expanded as a way of providing additional support to help negate the disproportionate risk experienced by small companies.
4. The forthcoming All Age Careers Service must promote apprenticeships, particular those in engineering, as a desirable, esteemed and rewarding career path.
5. Sector Skills Councils should include achievement of professional registration requirements within apprenticeship frameworks and promote the benefits of registration – supported by the professional institutions.
6. The Data Service should publish data showing Higher Apprenticeship startsand completion rates by sector and subject.

To see the full policy statement: "Engineering Apprenticeships"