Prime Minister David Cameron today set out plans to increase the number of apprenticeships offered by the UK\u2019s biggest businesses.<\/p>\n
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 \u201creasonable proportion\u201d of apprentices.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Mr Cameron highlighted the importance of making sure that the next generation of workers had the necessary skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe greatest asset any employer has is their workforce,\u201d said the Conservative leader.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd by investing in them, they are investing in the success and future of their business.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The British Chambers of Commerce welcomed the Prime Minister\u2019s comments, agreeing that well-structured apprenticeship schemes can play a major part in driving up productivity.<\/p>\n
But John Longworth, the business group\u2019s director general, said that ministers had a responsibility to ensure that there was adequate training provided by companies of all sizes.<\/p>\n
\u201cGovernment policy is currently too focused on major employers, but equal effort ought to be put on encouraging and supporting smaller businesses to offer apprenticeships,\u201d he argued.<\/p>\n
Mr Cameron\u2019s administration previously pledged to create three million apprenticeships by 2020.<\/p>\n
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