Willetts warns fall in apprenticeships is "devastating blow"

David Willetts has accused Labour of creating a “lost generation” after new figures revealed that opportunities for young people to become apprentices are decreasing.

Official statistics show that, despite ministers’ targets of more apprenticeships for young people, the number of 16- to 18-year-olds starting an apprenticeship fell by eight per cent in the first three quarters of 2008/09 - and the number of 19- to 24-year-olds starting an apprenticeship fell by two per cent.

David, the Shadow Secretary for Universities and Skills, described the figures as a “devastating blow” to young people:

“Only yesterday, Gordon Brown promised more opportunities for school leavers, yet today we discover there has been a significant fall in the number of teenagers and young adults starting an apprenticeship.”

“We must help young people through the recession, but Labour has created a lost generation. The grim reality is that there is now a record number of 16-24 year-olds not in education, employment or training.”

David stressed, “It is time for a Conservative Government which will provide more, real apprenticeship opportunities for young people.”

98% of 'new' Government apprentices are existing trainees

Monday, May 18 2009New Government figures show that just thirty of the 1,395 people being trained on Labour’s flagship apprenticeship scheme are new employees.

The remaining trainees – 98 per cent of those on the scheme – were already employed in central Government prior to becoming apprentices.

David Willetts, the Shadow Innovation, Universities and Skills Secretary, said the figures cast “grave doubts” on Labour’s ability to deliver on their promise to increase the number of public sector apprentices.

And he accused Labour Ministers of being “so concerned with chasing headlines that they seem to have simply renamed existing trainees”:

“As the recession bites, it is more important than ever to create new training opportunities. Ministers re-labelling workplace training as apprenticeships in order to meet targets helps no one.”