House of Commons · Westminster Hall
17 December 2024 · 4 other contributors · 8,412 words
Opened by Amanda Martin Lab Portsmouth North
Responding minister: Janet Daby
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Amanda Martin raised concerns about trades and apprenticeships — [mr clive betts in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
The government must incentivise small and medium-sized enterprises to take on apprentices under the age of 25, restore financial incentives to employers, make the funding model more transparent, increase apprentice pay rates, and simplify the system by removing barriers like functional skills requirements. There should also be an end to geographical differences in apprenticeship levy fund use.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
The UK faces a severe skills challenge with the need to find 1.3 million new skilled trade people and create 350,000 new apprenticeships over the next decade. Apprentice drop-off rates are high, completion rates stand at only one third, and there is a significant gap in succession planning due to workforce aging. The transition to net zero impacts jobs and requires upskilling for 29% of affected roles.
Welcomed the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to Peterborough college, highlighting issues with apprenticeships such as barriers related to English and maths requirements. Advocated for flexibility in functional skills requirements and fast-track options for those with prior experience. Emphasized the need to change cultural biases towards apprenticeships in schools and society.
Mr Clive Jones highlighted the lack of local training centres for trade apprenticeships in Wokingham borough, which limits young people's opportunities due to travel constraints and poor public transport. He noted a significant skills gap in construction sector jobs, with expected job shortages by 2035. Mr Jones asked the Government what plans it has to address these shortages and how it will build awareness of apprenticeships in schools.
Ms Baldwin praised the value of apprenticeships, citing positive statistics from her party's track record. She mentioned that nearly 70% of occupations could be entered via an apprenticeship by the time her government left office, and noted the increase in participation numbers from fewer than half a million to over 735,000 between 2009-10 and 2023-24. She highlighted the need for more tradespeople due to an ageing workforce and negative perceptions of trade jobs.
Discussed the importance of apprenticeships for young people and highlighted success stories from his constituency. Jim Shannon highlighted the importance of apprenticeships in his constituency, particularly in construction trades. He noted a decrease in new participants in apprenticeships by 12% between 2018-19 and 2022-23 and by 24% between 2021-22 and 2022-23. Shannon emphasized the need to encourage young people to stay in their apprenticeships, mentioning that completion rates have dropped significantly. He provided an example of how apprenticeships enable business growth and cited a company needing 2,800 new plumbers to meet housing targets. Mr Shannon thanked the Minister for her positive response and inquired about discussions with the Northern Ireland Assembly regarding progress on apprenticeships.
Government Response
Janet DabyCongratulated the debate's proposer on securing the discussion and thanked Members for their contributions. Acknowledged the complexity of skills shortages across various sectors, particularly in construction and information technology, highlighting a projected need for 1,143,000 additional workers by 2035. Noted a decline in apprenticeship starts post-2017 reforms, with young people under 25 experiencing a nearly 40% drop. Addressed concerns over drop-out rates and insufficient investment, introducing Skills England to tackle shortages. Announced flexible levy-funded growth and skills offer including shorter-duration apprenticeships. Emphasized financial support for small employers, higher minimum wage for apprentices from April 2025, and increased funding for home building skills hubs.