National Theatre apprenticeships

[kerry davies]

Hi Charlotte, since my computers both died there has been a good article in The Grauniad about some of the abuses and your comment; "..its just the bad guys get more press!" has been somewhat challenged. http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/dec/09/apprenticeships-learning-a-trade?INTCMP=SRCH

 

When Morrisons supermarket enrols 35,000 existing employees on to short-term "apprenticeships" and training providers get up to £5,000 per "apprenticeships" it throws the entire system into question. Many of these so-called apprenticeships are filled by existing employees and almost as many by those over 25 years of age which further devalues the schemes. Even now that terms have changed, an SME employer can take on an apprentice for a year, pay them £5k and get £1,500 in grant meaning they gain a years work for less than £2 an hour from them.

 

It isn't the "bad guys" at fault it is a government sponsored debacle which creates not merely opportunities for but actually encourages exploitation.

[CharlotteWylie]

I had seen that article! Yes Morrisons amoung others are coming under huge scrutiny about the 'short term apprenticeships'! According to a NAS representative I met with recently this is very much on the agenda to be stopped - it just gives the whole scheme a bad name!

 

I do disagree with the SMEs comment though. I work with a lot of SMEs and the effort, support and training they put into their young Apprentices is massive, they are not employing someone because they are cheap and they can just get them to do menial tasks! I will also add that the majority of employers pay above the minimum and often those that do pay the minimum only do so for a short period at the beginning of the programme and then review it as the Apprentice starts to upskill.

 

The Theatres I have worked with who have Apprentices think its brilliant and the Apprentices themselves also love it - the alternative is a full time course and offer yourself for free voluntary work to gain experience. Maybe the government needs to review minimum wages, however many employers don't take Apprentices because they have a vacancy they need to fill - they take an Apprentice to offer someone with the raw talent a chance to develop a career and become more employable.

 

I think Apprenticeships are brilliant - although I think there are certain issues that need to be addressed.