Apprenticeships - What is the future for such programmes??

 
Please see article on the guardian about apprenticeships.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/feb/06/apprenticeships-under-scrutiny

This is a very interesting and somewhat controversial article about apprenticeships.Vocational education has always seemed to come under the radar for all the wrong reasons. The Government have put a lot of time and money into promoting apprenticeships.

'The Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England (Sase) stipulates that every apprentice should receive up to 280 hours of guided learning (time in education and training, away from their usual duties)'  

The above quote from the guardian article outlines what Sase expects from each apprentice. Realistically this is a very long number of hours!! During a time of recession is it fair to put so much pressure on those who work for the National apprenticeships service to obtain the providers etc.

'Figures from the National Audit Office published last week suggest that while apprenticeships have grown by 140% in the last five years, the majority of jobs have gone to the over-25s, suggesting that a growing number of existing workers are being trained under the scheme'

Looking at a statistic like the one above how are apprenticeship schemes actually helping young people!! Going through the process of an apprenticeship requires a lot of will power and time. Many of the young people I worked with were not happy with how the initial application process worked and this was even before they had started on a scheme. The current system needs to be more friendly towards young people. There are many organizations that provide specific apprenticeships for young people however many of these small companies are not as advertised. Some young people only become aware of this if they actually go to a see a careers adviser or teacher and ask.

It really isn't enough for the government to just say we have ..... amount of apprenticeships come get them!! They need to help those who work in education to help advise young people about all of their options and then maybe the economic growth they are so seeking to gain will get there.