Northern TUC throws weight behind more apprenticeships
News date: 05/03/2010
Northern TUC throws weight behind more apprenticeships
Feb 23 2010 By The Journal
FUNDED through the National Apprenticeship Service, the TUC's Apprenticeship project, running from 2009-2011, is promoting apprenticeships with unions and employers, developing the TUC's existing policy on apprenticeship and supporting affiliate unions’ work on apprenticeship programmes across the country.
The government has set a goal of achieving a quarter of a million apprenticeship places every year by 2020. Trade union representatives and officers are crucial to supporting apprentices in the workplace, as having the chance to take up an apprenticeship is a great opportunity for anyone, especially for a young person who may be straight out of school or has made a decision to embark on an apprenticeship after a period out of work or training. The TUC is now involved to make sure that those apprenticeship places are new jobs, not replacing current workers, and that they are good quality, that pay is within the terms of existing negotiated agreements, and that occupational segregation is dealt with by ensuring the most diverse range of people possible can apply for opportunities that are available.
Apprenticeship pay is currently a major issue, but it is hoped that it will soon be within the National Minimum Wage framework. Gender segregation is also an issue, with 91% of hairdressing apprentices being women and 99% of electro-technical advanced apprentices being men – with the latter being much higher paid. The TUC is also campaigning to ensure that there are a minimum number of hours set aside for off workstation training.
Downing Street launched an Apprenticeship Advocate network in November and the TUC is putting Union Apprenticeship Advocates in place, who will sign up to the TUC’s aims of increasing the number of high quality, negotiated apprenticeships, to be achieved through the government, TUC and employers working together. TUC Apprenticeship Advocates will be busy people but the TUC apprenticeship team is offering all the support needed to fulfil the role of advocate.
The goal is to be able to create apprenticeships that offer a real opportunity for young people and for those developing their careers: apprenticeships with the guarantee of a proper job; that promote equality and diversity; that include meaningful training and development; and that take place in safe supportive working environments.
Alex Rodgers was appointed as an administrative apprentice with the TUC in November 2008. He said: "Being an apprentice with the TUC is quite a unique experience. You get the best terms and conditions in the country and they want you to develop as much as you possibly can. This is an agenda where employers, trade unions and government can work together to make real change."