As you may be aware, under the current ApprenticeshipsNI contract, only those apprenticeships in economic priority sectors for those aged 25+ are funded (at 50%) for the off the job training element. The Department intends to amend the age-related criteria for ApprenticeshipsNI participants for introduction under the new contract later this year (although this might not necessarily be in time for September intake). There are a range of issues to be considered when amending the age-related eligibility criteria:
- Should all age apprenticeships be available to all sectors or limited to key sectors?
- What are the benefits to your sector from the introduction of all age apprenticeships?
- Are there any risks? Could our training network cope with any increase in capacity?
- How do we ensure that young people are not adversely impacted by opening up apprenticeships to all sectors? What mitigation measures could be introduced, if needed, to ensure extending all age criteria leads to additional opportunities rather than displacing existing participants?
- Have you any other comments on all age apprenticeships?
We would appreciate your response to the survey by Monday 29th March 2021 to give us time to formulate a response on behalf of the Manufacturing sector