This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Modern Apprenticeships on target
06/05/2004
A key target to
increase trainees on the Modern Apprenticeship
(MA) programme has been reached.
More than 30,000 people
are benefiting from high quality training provided by
the programme.
In
Programme for Government, a target of 20,000
apprentices in training by 2003 was set. This was achieved
one year early.
Building a Better Scotland committed to achieving
25,000 apprentices by 2006, and the Partnership Agreement
increased this target to 30,000.
Lifelong Learning
Minister Jim Wallace and his Deputy Lewis Macdonald, today
announced that the goal had been achieved two years
early.
Mr Wallace said:
"The Partnership
Agreement set out our aim to increase the trainees on the
MA programme to 30,000 by 2006. To have achieved this
hugely important goal two years early is great news. The
programme is a key part of our efforts to tackle skills
shortages.
"It means that thousands
more people are learning crucial skills while helping to
ensure that companies are able to recruit employees with
the level of skills and training they need to drive the
economy forward.
"We have achieved our target so far ahead of schedule
due to effective marketing and the hard work of the
enterprise network. Ministers will continue to work
with Scottish Enterprise and
Highlandsand Islands Enterprise to boost completion rates and
improve delivery.
Mr Macdonald said:
"MAs are designed by
industry itself - by people who know exactly what is
required of the workforce. The programme is a key part of a
wider strategy aimed at tackling skills shortages and
reaching this target will benefit the economy as a
whole.
"The challenge now is to
maintain and improve quality and consistency of MA
provision. We will continue to focus our efforts on
ensuring the programme meets the changing needs of both
businesses and the trainees themselves."
There are currently
31,392 modern apprentices in training across Scotland. They
are involved in a variety of different sectors and
industries - from construction to hospitality.
Among the trainees the
ministers met was
19-year-old Commis chef Anne Harris, who has been at
the company since the age of 16 and hopes to achieve a
Hospitality MA by the end of the year.
She said:
"Doing an MA has given me a great opportunity to
learn all about the job while I am actually doing it.
The course has helped me pick up skills I will be able
to use throughout my career as a chef - which I hope
will be a long one. Doing the MA has also given me
stability in an industry which sometimes sees staff
move between jobs quite a lot. I would highly recommend
MAs as a way for people in all sorts of different jobs
to develop their talents and reach their full
potential."
Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and
Islands Enterprise deliver MAs. Since the programme began,
28,525 people have successfully completed their
apprenticeship.