The future of apprenticeships lies in the hands of employers

The Building Services Engineering sector (BSE) has developed an excellent reputation across the sector with employers supporting and investing in employer-led apprenticeship training.

This approach has developed quality training in the workplace and is supported by directed learning off-the-job.  The employer-led approach ensures that much more of the apprentices' skills development is carried out on-the-job alongside qualified and experienced employees.


In NI the BSE sector employs approximately 13,000 individuals across 3,600 businesses. The sector includes electrotechnical, heating and ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration and plumbing industries.

SummitSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the BSE sector, seeks to understand the skills issues that employers in these industries face and work towards developing solutions to improve skills and long term productivity for the sector. To find out more about this sector read more

The employed apprenticeship method of training equips apprentices in this sector with the knowledge and skills to do the job better, enabling the sector to get the workforce it needs now and for the future.
Employers in the BSE sector welcomed the Committee for Employment and Learning review of apprenticeships in Northern Ireland in 2009.  The review made the overarching recommendation

 "that the future of apprenticeships lies in the hands of employers and employer groups and they should be the drivers of how apprenticeships should evolve."

One prominent group of employers made the comment that within the electrical contracting industry in NI there has been an effective, committed and sustained approach to employed apprenticeship training over the past twelve years.  Employed apprentices are motivated and work effectively and efficiently for the electrical contracting business.

In 2009 the SummitSkills apprentice cost benefit report highlighted that effective use of apprentices can accumulate significant savings in labour costs. While recruitment and retention of employed apprentices has been affected by the current economic recession, BSE sector employers remain convinced that the best way to develop highly skilled, motivated, enthusiastic and committed future employees is through its continued investment in the quality ApprenticeshipNI programme.

PROJECT WORK

Why not get an indication of how the other sector skills are addressing the training of apprentices by checking out the Alliance Sector Skills Council website read more

As if to underscore the importance of the above piece on apprenticeship training, Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Employment and Learning, speaking at the recent CBI dinner in Belfast, said that it was imperative that private sector firms be given as much help as possible to bring the skills in the workforce up to date. NI requires a workforce that will allow it compete in the global marketplace.

Sir Reg is bringing the new Northern Ireland Skills Strategy before the Executive. It sets out demanding challenges for government, schools, HE, FE, and businesses. Recent research undertaken by Oxford Economics for the department of employment and learning has demonstrated quite clearly that unlesss NI 'ups its game' when it comes to skills, it will be unable to compete. The government intends working closely with the privare sector to promote a new skills culture within the economy. (Source: Belfast Telegraph 28th March 2010)

PROJECT WORK

When available it would be important that the new Skills Strategy should be read and discussed within your post 16 programme to evaluate its impact on decision making for young people.