Enterprise and Business Committee
The Enterprise
and Business Committee is undertaking an inquiry into
Apprenticeships in Wales. The terms of reference for the inquiry
are:
-
is
the
current apprenticeship system providing effective support to the
Welsh economy?
-
is
the
current apprenticeship system meeting the current and future skills
needs of employers in Wales? If not, what needs to be
improved?
-
with
increased
priority on apprenticeships for 16-24 year olds, are
apprenticeships an attractive option for young people?
-
do
the
systems for establishing Apprenticeship Standards and Frameworks
and recruiting apprentices work effectively?
Key
issues
Issues that
the Committee may wish to consider as part of these terms of
reference include:
-
how
effective
is employer involvement in the apprenticeship system in Wales? Has
this changed as a result of the current economic circumstances? Are
employers able to find sufficient numbers of young people with the
skills and aptitudes that they require? Do relationships between
employers and training providers work effectively? Are
apprenticeships still limited to certain sectors?
-
do
social
enterprises make effective use of apprentices?
-
has
the
number of apprentices employed by local authorities, and the public
sector generally, increased or decreased? Should the public sector
be recruiting more apprentices?
-
the
Welsh
Government is encouraging Community Benefits clauses in public
sector contracts which can be used to promote the employment of
trainees and apprenticeships. Is this an effective mechanism for
increasing the numbers of apprentices?
-
what
is the
average profile of an apprentice, for example age, gender,
employment sector? Is this profile changing and, if yes, what are
the reasons for this? The National Training Federation for Wales
reports that the average age for an apprentice is 26. What are the
reasons for this? Are apprenticeships generally successful from the
perspective of the apprentice? Have apprenticeship completion rates
changed in recent years? In practice, are apprentices guaranteed a
job at the end of the apprenticeship?
-
do
Careers
Wales and Jobcentre Plus provide effective support for people
wanting to find apprenticeships? Does the new Apprenticeship
Matching Service, run by Careers Wales, work
effectively?
-
why
do young
people decide to be apprentices? What factors influence their
decision?
-
are
apprenticeships
an attractive option for young people of all abilities or are
apprenticeships seen as a second best option compared with higher
education? Are attitudes changing and if yes, what are the reasons
for this?
-
are
apprenticeships fully understood by those who have most influence
on the choices of young people for example parents/carers, careers
teachers in schools, teachers generally? Is there too much
complexity and choice of programme?
-
how
effective
is Welsh Government policy on apprenticeships? How does its policy
of apprenticeships fit into its wider economic and skills
strategies?
-
education
and
training, including apprenticeships are devolved matters, but
employment law is not. Do young people have sufficient rights and
access to apprenticeship training? If not, how could the situation
be improved?
-
are
the
Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) promoting and supporting
apprenticeships effectively? How does the capacity of SSCs affect
their performance in this area?
-
is
European
funding being used to support apprenticeships
effectively?
-
are
there
examples of good practice apprenticeship systems in other countries
that Wales can learn from?
Business
type: Committee
Inquiry
Considered
by: Enterprise and
Business Committee
Consultation
process
If
you wish to contribute evidence, please send an electronic copy of
your submission to enterprise.committee@wales.gov.uk
Alternatively,
you can submit your evidence by post to:
Siân
Phipps
Committee
Clerk
Enterprise and
Business Committee
National
Assembly for Wales
Cardiff Bay
CF99 1NA
The Committee
welcomes responses from both individuals and organisations.
If you are responding on behalf of an organisation, please provide
a brief description of the role of your organisation.
The Committee
welcomes contributions in English or Welsh and will consider
responses to the inquiry and hold oral evidence sessions in due
course.
Submissions
should arrive by Friday 6 April 2012. It may not be possible to
take into account responses received after this date. Please
note, the deadline has been extended to 17 April
2012.
Disclosure of
Information
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is normal practice for the National Assembly to publish evidence
provided to a Committee. Consequently your response may
appear in a report or in supplementary evidence to a report.
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considers to be personal data.
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the event of a request for information submitted under UK
legislation, it may be necessary to disclose the information that
you provide. This may include information which has
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If
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