ATL

All aboard the apprenticeship

Entrepreneur, businessman and television personality Sir Alan Sugar discusses the benefits of employing apprentices for businesses

Everywhere you look businesses are in trouble. We're facing some of the toughest economic times in a generation. But the last thing companies need to do is bury their heads in the sand - we need to be constantly looking to the future and how we're going to weather the storm.

I believe apprenticeships can give businesses the kind of motivated doers they need to succeed in the current climate. That is why I have been travelling around the country with Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, and John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (at the time of going to press), talking to employers about the business benefits of employing apprentices.

There's a myth around that all young people are going to be forced to stay in school until they're 18. That's not the case. Young people will still be able to leave school at 16, as I did, but on the understanding that they get some proper training. An apprenticeship is an excellent option.

Not being traditionally academic doesn't mean you can't be a success. There are plenty of motivated, smart, ambitious young people out there champing at the bit to leave school and get stuck into the world of work. An apprenticeship will allow them to get involved in the workplace and earn while they learn. From August, apprenticeship wages will start at a minimum of £95 a week, and go up to around £200.

There's a vast array of apprenticeships out there, with more than 130,000 employers offering places. More are opening their doors every day. There are now even more places at globally recognised employers from McDonalds to Rolls-Royce. In the past, apprenticeships were all too often limited to traditional jobs in skilled labour. Now you can become an apprentice in any number of specialised jobs - from looking after injured animals to decommissioning nuclear weapons, if that's your cup of tea.

Education and training are changing, and I think many employers need to be brought up to date. The message is clear: an investment in apprentices is a wise investment for the future.

Success is all about finding the right people to make your business develop - especially in challenging times. I want as many employers as possible to hear about how apprentices can make things happen, help businesses grow and thrive. I've certainly been impressed by the apprentices I have met. They remind me of the kind of people I look to employ - dedicated, motivated, ambitious. And since the introduction of a single point of contact for employers - the National Apprenticeship Service - it's not difficult for businesses to get an apprentice on board.

This country has had a proud history of apprenticeships, but they have been scandalously neglected in recent times. We have seen some progress recently - I was pleased to hear the numbers of apprentices have trebled to around 225,000 during the past 10 years. It's clear that we've got a way to go, however, if an apprenticeship is to be a viable option for everyone - younger and older - who wants to do one.

The government needs to show its commitment. It has said it will ensure apprenticeships are a mainstream option for all 16- to 18-year-olds by 2013, with significant growth for older learners as well.

So far it has increased spending to £1.14 billion in 2009/10 and committed to investing in more than 20,000 public sector apprenticeship places during the next year. That investment needs to be maintained if apprenticeships are to be a long-term success. I believe that if there is enough demand from employers, school leavers and adults wanting to try an apprenticeship, then the money will follow.

Visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk to find out more.

Sir Alan Sugar is fronting the government's apprenticeships campaign.

Image (c) Phil Wrigglesworth