ATL comment on Education Committee’s apprenticeships and traineeships report
ATL
| Association of Teachers and Lecturers
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said:
“We welcome the report from the Education Committee and agree with many of its recommendations. In particular, we welcome the recommendation that the Trailblazers be allowed to choose which level 2 qualification in English and maths should be studied as part of their apprenticeships. It is right that apprentices should not be pushed to take GCSEs, as this will deter many from joining apprenticeship programmes.
“We wholeheartedly agree that the Government should take steps to ensure that all employers who flout the law on the apprenticeship minimum wage are identified and swift action is taken against them, and that training providers should educate apprentices about their employment rights and how to take action if their rights are breached.
“The Government needs to do more to encourage employers to invest properly in apprenticeships and to pay apprentices more than the minimum wage. And the Education Committee is right that young people everywhere, whether in school or college, deserve access to high-quality, independent, face-to-face careers information, advice and guidance.”
