BUSINESS leaders have given their backing to apprenticeship schemes as organisations up and down the country look to boost skills and performance.
The traditional assumption that apprentices only learn ‘trade’ or ‘low level’ skills has also been challenged by senior executives in a survey published by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
According to the data which is based on the responses of 503 business leaders, 69% of respondents claim that apprenticeships are an effective way of developing management skills.
Their views come against a backdrop of evidence showing that the number of management apprenticeships has more than doubled since 2005 and news that the Government has pledged £140m to fund an additional 35,000 apprenticeships in the current academic year.
CMI’s latest research suggests that the new-found popularity has come about because business leaders see the impact apprentices have on day-to-day performance.
For example, 92% suggest that teamwork and interpersonal skills are improved by apprenticeship programmes.
A high proportion, 84%, also believe that problem-solving and analytical thinking skills are enhanced.
Ruth Spellman, chief executive of the CMI, said: “Perceptions about apprentices and apprenticeship schemes are outdated.
“We are facing a skills shortage in this country – not least among managers where just one in five are professionally qualified – and this has been exacerbated by cutbacks on investment in training, due to the recession.
“British business cannot afford to carry on like this because without the right skills in place we face a leadership vacuum.
“We urgently need to increase our investment in skills development and it is welcome news that employers see management apprentices as a cost-effective way of doing this.”
