Enterprise and Business Committee
APP01

Inquiry into Apprenticeships

Evidence from Councillor Richard Bertin, Vale of Glamorgan

Dear Sir or Madam,

Enterprise and Business Committee Inquiry - Apprenticeships

I would like to submit the following comments into your apprenticeship inquiry.

Having considered the matter, I believe that apprenticeships have the potential to create a wealth of new talent in Wales. They not only open doors for young people who lack the necessary shills to go in to higher education but enable to gain life skills and on-the-job training to enhance their careers. We must encourage more employers to train young people.

Do apprenticeships provide effective support to the economy?

Apprenticeships can help business prepare for when the economy improves. It allows businesses to address their skills gap and training apprentices can actually be more cost effective than hiring skilled staff.

How future skills needs could be met?

By supporting industry’s future skills needs, by supporting employment on-training programmes, by providing high quality apprenticeship programmes and by supporting more technical courses for young people.

We must stop the decline of work-based learning programmes.

Yours faithfully,

Councillor Richard Bertin,

Vale of Glamorgan.