04 Apr Robert Halfon MP hails new Apprenticeships body
The new Institute for Apprenticeships launched earlier this week with a mandate to ensure quality skills training
Independent from government, the institute, which is to be chaired by Antony Jenkins, has been launched to ensure that all apprenticeships are top quality and deliver the skills that employers need.
Skills and Apprenticeships Minister Robert Halfon yesterday hailed the new body saying:
“I am delighted that today marks the first working day of the Institute for Apprenticeships. This is a key part of the jigsaw that will ensure employers get the skills their workforce needs.”
The institute will further support the government’s commitment to deliver 3 million quality apprenticeships by 2020.
High-quality apprenticeships are an important part of the government’s Plan for Britain and the institute marks an important milestone in working with businesses to invest in the home grown-skills our country needs.
To ensure employers are at the heart of every decision, the institute has appointed leading figures in the business world to sit on its board. This will ensure that employers needs are being met and they have the opportunity to review and challenge apprenticeship standards and how apprenticeships are assessed.
The institute launches ahead of the apprenticeship levy coming into force this Thursday (6 April 2017). The levy will double the annual investment in apprenticeships to £2.5 billion by 2019 to 2020. This will ensure that every person, regardless of their background, gets the chance they deserve to succeed.
Latest figures show that there is currently the highest numbers of apprenticeships on record with 900,000 apprentices last year alone
