Institution's Chief Executive gives evidence to apprenticeship inquiry

The Institution's Chief Executive, Stephen Tetlow MBE, has urged policymakers to embed professional registration into apprenticeship schemes to help build trust and ensure quality.

The Institution's Chief Executive, Stephen Tetlow MBE, recently gave evidence to the third session of the Sub-Committee on Education, Skills and the Economy inquiry into apprenticeships.

Launched in early 2016, the inquiry aims to explore a number of issues surrounding the development and promotion of modern apprenticeships, including:

• The validity of the government's 3m apprenticeship target
• The apprenticeship levy and its implementation
• The proposed creation of the Institute for Apprenticeships
• How to improve take-up of apprenticeships among 16- to 19-year-olds
• Routes for progression to higher qualifications for current apprentices
• The quality and minimum standards for apprenticeships

During the session, Stephen outlined the value of apprenticeships to the engineering profession, as well as the need to embed professional registration into schemes to help build trust and ensure quality.

He also highlighted the long history of apprenticeships within the profession, that they should be seen as an equal alternative to the higher education route to skills development, and the need for better careers advice in schools to help students make an informed choice most beneficial to their abilities.

On the government's three million apprenticeship target, all witnesses at the session felt that quality was more important than quantity, although setting a target helped to focus effort. On the proposed creation of the Institute for Apprenticeships, there was consensus that well-established standards, such as Engineering Technician by the Engineering Council, should be adopted by any new body to avoid 'reinventing the wheel'.

Other witnesses called for this evidence session included Mark Froud (FISSS), Lisa Burger (National Theatre) and Stella Ziolkowski (National Day Nurseries Association). The inquiry is expected to release its report in late 2016.

The full evidence session can be watched on the Parliamentlive.tv website.