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Liddell looks to widen appeal of modern apprenticeships
28/10/1998
Women and ethnic minorities will be targeted in an effort to encourage them to take part in Modern Apprenticeships, Scottish Education Minister Helen Liddell announced today as she launched a Modern Apprenticeship in Housing Management at Motherwell College.
Speaking at Motherwell College, Mrs Liddell said:
"Modern Apprenticeships provide valuable training at craft, technician and trainee management level within an industry designed framework. We currently have 60 Modern apprenticeship frameworks, and around 8000 young people taking part. We have a commitment to get 15,000 young people involved by 2002.
"It is not just about how many people can benefit from these apprenticeships I am also interested in who these people are. At the moment there are not enough women and young people from ethnic minorities participating in Modern Apprenticeships. I have therefore asked Scottish enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to promote uptake among these particular groups of young people.
"So far the Modern Apprenticeships have been predominantly in the traditional sectors such as engineering and construction. That is why I am particularly pleased to be launching this Modern Apprenticeship in Housing Management which is a perfect example of work-based training in a non-traditional sector. Hopefully this type of training will attract eople who are less interested in the traditional sectors and will mean that the benefits of Modern Apprenticeships can be enjoyed by a much wider audience.
"Modernising Scotland means improving skills right across the spectrum. There is a real need for management education at all levels to match the needs of the dynamic nation the Government is pledged to achieve. "Opportunity Scotland" the Government's vision for the next millennium is about enhancing not just lifelong learning but improving the quality and life of every Scot. Today's modern apprenticeship in Housing Management fulfill a joint purpose, drawing skill levels even higher whilst at the same time improving the management of Scotland's housing stock to the advantage of all.
"We will shortly be entering the new millennium and we must be aware of alternative ways of meeting the requirements of the housing sector. Social renting, private renting, home ownership, homelessness and green belt development are only some of the issues facing housing professionals and form the basis of the world in which housing organisations work.
"Colleges such as Motherwell provide a central resource for people to gain these skills. On completing the Modern Apprenticeship in Housing Management, graduates will be able to make better informed decisions relating to the long term allocation of resources, to activities of planning, promoting and developing the housing sector."
BACKGROUND
1. Skillseekers, the young people's training programme, is delivered by Scottish Enterprise and Highland and Islands Enterprise through the Enterprise Network. The target group is 16-17 year olds, although Local Enterprise Companies have discretion to fund training for young people aged 18 years and over. Currently, there are around 37,500 Skillseekers, including 8,000 on Modern Apprenticeships. There are now 60 Modern Apprenticeship frameworks endorsed for use in Scotland.
2. In 1995 the Skillseekers programme was extended to include Modern Apprenticeships. Modern Apprenticeships are again aimed primarily at 16 17 year olds to enable them to train for jobs at craft, technician and trainee management level. LECs also have the discretion to fund 18 year olds and over but training should be completed by the 25th birthday. The training must lead to SVQ Level III or above and include core skills.
3. National Training Organisations (NTOs) develop Modern Apprenticeships frameworks for their sector. These must be approved by the SE/HIE Modern Apprenticeship Implementation Group who scrutinise the framework to ensure that they meet the Scottish education and training standards. The Lifelong Learning Paper ("Opportunity Scotland" published on 16 September) sets a target of 15,000 Modern Apprenticeships by 2002 and makes a commitment to improving equal opportunities in training.
4. Modern Apprenticeships are industry-designed frameworks for training, which are normally delivered through the Skillseekers programme. The Housing Management Modern Apprenticeship is a collaboration between Motherwell College and North Lanarkshire Council. The framework for the Modern Apprenticeship was drawn up by COSLA (the National Training Organisation for this sector).
News Release: 2212/98
28 October, 1998