Agenda item

To consider evidence as the second session of the Scrutiny Board’s inquiry on apprenticeships.

The Board conducted the second session of its inquiry on apprenticeships in Leeds. In attendance to address the Board and answer Members’ questions were:

-  Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Executive Member, Leisure and Skills

-  Councillor Judith Blake, Executive Member for Children’s Services

-  Councillor Jane Dowson, Deputy Executive Member for Children’s Services

-  Sue Wynne, Chief Officer, Employment and Skills

-  Gary Milner, Lead Officer, Skills for Learning and Life

-  Nick Hart, Apprenticeship Hub

-  Lynne McLaughlin, igen

The Board was shown a short video promoting apprenticeships in Leeds. The following issues were raised in introducing the report and discussion:

·  The wide range of provision that could be termed as ‘pre-apprenticeship’ and the varied routes of funding even for those programmes that are publicly funded

·  Further analysis of apprenticeship numbers based on participation rates, which gave a more encouraging picture than previous figures. It was thought that this may be related to the longer minimum length of apprenticeship programmes

·  Analysis of the factors that may influence the number of applications different apprenticeship adverts attract

·  Information on the qualifications requirements for local vacancies

·  The respective roles of the various partners in providing careers advice to young people

·  Background information on the role and caseload of igen as part of the targeted support provision

The following issues were raised in discussion:

·  Members who had attended an evening session at the Connexions Centre in Eastgate the previous week reported on how useful the session had been to enable them to hear first hand from young people about their experiences in relation to apprenticeships.

·  The key issues of accessibility and information

·  Better engagement with young people from an early age as they make choices and decisions about their futures

·  The feedback and support that is or could be provided to unsuccessful applicants and those who drop out during their apprenticeship

·  The need to keep working with employers and exploring ways to get young people ‘job ready’ while they are still at school

·  The need to change parental perceptions about apprenticeships

·  The changing attitudes of schools towards pupils’ destinations, and the role of destinations teams

·  The need to ensure school staff are aware of the full range of options that are available

·  Work being undertaken to look at opportunities for Looked After Children

·  Examples of good practice from employers

·  Concern about reductions in funding for Level 1 provision

·  The future role of the Leeds City College Apprenticeship Academy and university technical colleges

·  Support available to those who are NEET but for whom an apprenticeship is not the right answer

·  The importance of finding the right channels of communication to get the message about apprenticeships more widely understood by young people

·  Travel as a potential barrier and the support recently offered by Metro

·  The ‘careers advice - tips from young people’ document prepared by Leeds Youth Council for schools

·  The Apprenticeship Hub’s school engagement programme and local apprenticeship events

·  An offer from councillors to support the service where schools may be reluctant to engage

·  Support provided by Children’s Services for schools to self-assess their careers advice provision, and a proposal to ask schools to buy into additional resources

·  The importance of working together better

The Board agreed to hold a further session of the inquiry on 1 April 2014, to include input from representatives of the National Apprenticeship Service, Apprenticeship Training Agency, learning providers and employers.

RESOLVED – That the issues raised by this session of the inquiry be noted.