Semta to develop Advanced Manufacturing Higher Level Apprenticeship
06/12/2011 Enginuity
-New framework will help overcome SME skills gaps and increase apprentice hiring--£500,000 secured to support new apprenticeships-
Semta, the sector skills council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies has today announced the development of a higher level apprenticeship in Advanced Manufacturing to meet the future skills needs of its sectors.
In an announcement by Business Secretary Vince Cable, Semta was awarded £500,000 from the Higher Apprenticeship Fund to develop the apprenticeship, and other new vocational qualifications and technical certificates in line with employer requirements.
Semta research shows that 96,300 engineers, scientists and technologists will need to be recruited by 2016 and over half of technicians in the current workforce have qualifications below world-class levels. A recent survey found that 31 per cent of high tech manufacturing firms "had recruited people from outside the UK owing to a lack of suitably qualified people from the UK." The new framework will not only upskill the existing workforce, it will develop new recruits who are needed to replace skills lost through retirements among an ageing workforce. Because the framework is designed with employers, it should encourage more companies to hire apprentices.
The Higher Apprenticeship framework will be available at levels 4, 5 and 6 and so will incorporate the following qualifications or their equivalents: an HNC; HND or foundation degree; and an Honours Degree. It is anticipated the qualifications, work-based learning and skills would build over a three to five year higher apprenticeship, providing a route to professional accreditation.
The National Apprenticeship Service has provided funding to kick-start the development with leading companies so that a "pathfinder" framework will be available from April 2012. The complete framework will then be rolled out through supply chains to achieve a target of 250 apprenticeship starts from around 150 SMEs by December 2012.
Said Philip Whiteman, chief executive of Semta: "Apprenticeships provide real benefits in terms of skills, productivity and motivation, but currently only seven per cent of companies in our sectors offer apprenticeships. We need to develop higher level skills to compete globally, so this needs to change.
"Semta this year launched the Apprentice Ambition - a 10 point plan to double the number of higher level apprenticeships by 2016 by removing barriers for small businesses. This higher level apprenticeship in Advanced Manufacturing will give employers, particularly SMEs, something they really need and so will encourage more apprenticeship starts. It is a first step in achieving our ambition."
Semta also plans to help sector employers take advantage of the government's newly announced £250 million fund for businesses to design, develop and purchase vocational training and the £1500 incentive for small businesses taking on their first apprentices.
Philip Whiteman concluded: "We will encourage employers' ambitions towards Higher Apprenticeships by giving them the chance to "grow their own graduates", developing a workforce with high-level skills specifically tailored to their business, and with experience of applying those skills in business.
"We have already put a number of support mechanisms in place for businesses looking to take on an apprentice - such as our recently introduced Semta Apprenticeship Service where we secure funding, hire, train and quality-assure the apprenticeship. I am confident that our ten point plan will help smaller businesses in our sector meet their growth potential."
Businesses interested in finding out more should contact Semta Customer Services on 0845 643 9001 or customerservices@semta.org.uk Web: www.semta.org.uk .
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