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politics first | Corridors
ADVERTORIAL
September / October 2016 | www.politicsfirst.org.uk
Allowing young people to
reach their potential
Paula Sherriff, Labour MP for Dewsbury
It is around this time of year when many young people
are looking to consider their next steps, whether that
be in education or employment. However, particularly
for young women, there remains a cloud of uncertainty
around apprenticeships as an alternative to A levels or
university.
Tom Firth, Higher
Apprentice at
Silentnight, is presented
with a certificate for the
‘Young Professionals
Industry Experience’
by Ben Burbidge,
Master of The Furniture
Makers’ Company.
There are a number of obstacles which deter
young people from considering apprenticeships
as a career option. So what can be done to make
sure that apprenticeships offer the life-changing
opportunities that they should do?
Labour has long argued the need for
more high quality apprenticeships. The last
Labour Government set up the National
Apprenticeship Service and introduced National
Apprenticeship Week in 2008, alongside
reviving apprenticeships from 65,000 starts in
1996/7 to 279,700 by 2009/10.
So it is deeply worrying to see the sheer
scale of uncertainty and unease among
employers about the Tory Government’s
apprenticeship levy. That is the Government’s
proposal for large employers with a wage bill
of over £3 million, to pay payroll tax of 0.5 per
cent which would pay for investment in training
apprentices.
While the principle of the policy is sound,
the Government must do more to work with
employers to resolve their concerns, and
ensure that the system meets the needs of all
parties. Only by providing further clarity and
greater flexibility will the aim of creating more
high-quality apprenticeships be met.
Information provided about apprenticeships
must be better, especially for young women.
According to the CBI, 93 per cent of young
people are not getting the careers information
they need, and what advice they do receive
tends to “pigeon-hole” girls.
A UK-wide survey carried out by The Student
Room recently asked 10,000 students finishing
their A levels about their education and
employment options. Shockingly, some 40 per
cent of respondents thought apprenticeships
are aimed at men, whereas only one percent
thought the training is designed for women.
Moreover, only 11 per cent felt “fully informed”
about apprenticeships as a training and career
option, while 40 per cent said they had received
“very little” or “no information” about taking on
an apprenticeship.
To redress that shortfall, Labour is calling for
compulsory face-to-face careers advice from
11, to challenge misconceptions and to work
in partnership with business. There is a need to
highlight how apprenticeships differ from other
routes into employment and to encourage girls
to consider high-quality apprenticeships in
science and engineering.
But it is not just careers advice and
the information available. Disappointingly,
occupational segregation in apprenticeships
has not improved. The increase in female
participation in apprenticeships has been
primarily driven by new apprenticeships being
created in sectors with a large female workforce
such as retail and business admin, rather than
an influx of young women into traditionally better
paid and male-dominated apprenticeships such
as engineering.
Earlier this year, the Young Women’s Trust
published a report which showed that female
apprentices are missing out at every stage
of apprenticeships and will continue to do so
unless urgent action is taken by employers and
Government.
Although official government figures
indicate apprenticeships are equally popular
amongst men and women, the report found
women were more likely to achieve poorer
outcomes than their male peers.
The apprenticeship gender pay gap currently
stands at 21 per cent - female apprentices are
paid on average 21 per cent less than their
male counterparts, making women on average
£2,000 worse off a year. In addition to that,
young women apprentices report receiving
less training than men – 23 per cent of women
reported receiving no training compared to 12
per cent of men.
Young women apprentices receive less
pay, less training and fewer job opportunities
compared to their male peers. For the UK to be
able to meet the demand for skilled workers in
sectors where there is a serious shortage, the
Government needs to improve apprenticeships
for young women. Action needs to be taken,
including ensuring that flexible and part-time
apprenticeships are available and that high
quality careers advice is offered to young
women.
All young people deserve fair opportunities
to access the best possible long-term
prospects.
Developing the Furniture Industry’s Future Leaders
through the Silentnight Apprenticeship Scheme
As the most recognised and trusted bed brand in the UK, investing in our people is of vital importance to Silentnight. As such, our
Apprenticeship Scheme is just one aspect of a full suite of management, leadership and core skills training programmes.
Our Apprentices can be found throughout the business, in a variety of different roles from Production Operatives through to
trainee management roles. We’re extremely proud of all of our Apprentices and their achievements, and many Apprentices who
have graduated from the scheme have already gone on to fill critical roles within the business, giving them excellent progression
opportunities whilst ensuring succession.
Recently, one of our Higher Apprentices, Tom Firth, successfully gained a place on the prestigious Furniture Makers’ Company
‘Young Professional Industry Experience’, which saw him visit a series of companies within the furniture industry, along with five
other young professionals also building their careers within the industry. This was an exciting development opportunity for Tom,
allowing him to extend his experience of the furniture industry by learning about raw materials and components, the complexity of
manufacturing, buying criteria, pricing, marketing and merchandising, through to consumer law, after sales and customer service.
The three week Industry Experience culminated in an event at the Furniture Makers’ Hall in London, where the six young professionals
gave a group presentation on the key concepts that they had learned and the challenges facing the furniture industry.
One of the key messages from the young professionals involved in the Industry Experience was the need to overcome skills
shortages within the furniture industry. It is our firm belief that this is where the employer led Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standards
truly come into their own, by giving employers the opportunity to be at the leading edge of skills development, ensuring that the
new standards are fit for purpose and provide Apprentices with the training that they need in the areas that are of vital importance to
the organisation. For Silentnight Apprentices trained as multi-skilled Production Operatives in our labour intensive manufacturing
environment, it is even more vital that the training reflects the needs of the business. Ensuring that our Apprentices are developing
appropriate skills is key to the success of our Apprenticeship Scheme.
Moving forward, Tom’s future is looking bright as he enters the final year of his HNC in Furniture Design & Make, and embarks
upon a two year development programme to enhance his leadership and management skills and his wider commercial awareness.
Behind him, the next cohort of Silentnight Apprentices are just beginning their journeys, and will be putting the new Trailblazer
Furniture Industry Standards firmly to the test.
Dr Julie Dix, People Development & Training Co-ordinator, Silentnight julie.dix@silentnight.co.uk www.silentnight.co.uk/apprenticeships
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