Prime Minister David Cameron today set out plans to increase the number of apprenticeships offered by the UK’s biggest businesses.
As part of a continuing effort to improve training, companies who are bidding for the most lucrative government contracts will have to provide evidence they employee a “reasonable proportion” of apprentices.
Further details have also emerged about the introduction of the so-called apprenticeship levy, which requires large businesses to put money into a fund to train their workforce.
Mr Cameron highlighted the importance of making sure that the next generation of workers had the necessary skills.
“The greatest asset any employer has is their workforce,” said the Conservative leader.
“And by investing in them, they are investing in the success and future of their business.”
There have previously been concerns that too many big businesses have invested too little time and money in building a more skilled workforce and this may leave the UK vulnerable in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
The British Chambers of Commerce welcomed the Prime Minister’s comments, agreeing that well-structured apprenticeship schemes can play a major part in driving up productivity.
But John Longworth, the business group’s director general, said that ministers had a responsibility to ensure that there was adequate training provided by companies of all sizes.
“Government policy is currently too focused on major employers, but equal effort ought to be put on encouraging and supporting smaller businesses to offer apprenticeships,” he argued.
Mr Cameron’s administration previously pledged to create three million apprenticeships by 2020.