Helping SMEs hire young talent
New campaign calls for urgent reform to the apprenticeship system to help SMEs hire young talent and meet national skills goals
EngineeringUK is proud to support the launch of #ApprenticeshipsWork. This new campaign, led by the Edge Foundation, aims to increase apprenticeship opportunities in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK.
SMEs are the backbone of our economy, representing 99.8% of UK businesses and 60% of jobs. Yet they face significant barriers to engaging with the apprenticeship system – from administrative burdens to a lack of tailored support. Since the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, the number of apprentices employed by SMEs has dropped by 17%.
In engineering and manufacturing the number of entry level apprenticeship starts in SMEs is declining at twice the rate of large employers. The complexities of the apprenticeships system and the associated administration requirements were amongst the barriers to participation highlighted in our Fit for the future report.
43% of the engineering workforce is employed in the SME sector. Yet SMEs are increasingly being locked out of the apprenticeship system. Complex and bureaucratic structures are driving disengagement with the system that should enable them to fill their skills and workforce gaps. That must change if we’re to offer the engineering and technology apprenticeships needed to secure a skilled future workforce, able to drive economic growth.
— Beatrice Barleon, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, EngineeringUK
The #ApprenticeshipsWork campaign
We’re backing Edge Foundations’s call for a simpler, fairer system that works for both SMEs and young people. A way to connect ambition with opportunity and deliver skills for growth. This will be crucial to achieving the government’s goal of 10,000 more apprenticeship opportunities a year, particularly in SME-dominated sectors like engineering and construction.
Backed by leading partners including the Federation of Small Businesses, the Co-op Group, Specsavers, Amazing Apprenticeships, EngineeringUK Corporate Member City & Guilds and others, the campaign also highlights the need for:
- A one-stop apprenticeship application system
- Brokerage services and tailored advice to support SMEs
At EngineeringUK we’re proud to support #ApprenticeshipsWork – a campaign to connect young people with real opportunities and give small businesses the tailored support they need.
— Beatrice Barleon, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, EngineeringUK
