Following ministerial go-ahead to extend the Young Apprenticeships programme to new sectors, Skillsmart Retail is delighted to reveal that 10 new Young Apprenticeship in Retail partnerships have been accepted by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).
Made up of schools, learning providers and employers, the partnerships will provide retail learning programmes to 225 young apprentices across the majority of English regions in its first two years.
The two-year Young Apprenticeships in Retail programme is targeted at 14 to16-year-olds who are predicted to achieve 5 A*-C GCSE grades and is part of the government’s suite of Apprenticeship programmes. Working with Skillsmart Retail, the Sector Skills Council for the retail industry, these partnerships will now start to recruit young people to the programme before its September 2006 launch.
Being involved with the programme means that pupils will spend two days a week learning about retail alongside their core GCSE curriculum. During this time they will spend 50 days in work experience positions with local retailers. As well as achieving their GSCEs, the Young Apprentices will gain valuable retail qualifications that will allow them to fast-track into post-16 apprenticeships or go on to further education.
Skillsmart Retail Chief Executive, Alan Roberts, says retail employers were very supportive of Young Apprenticeships in Retail, with many keen to get involved at programme level by offering work placements, store visits and talks for the young apprentices.
ìRetail employers see the Young Apprenticeships programme as a way of attracting bright young talent into the sector,î he says.
ìBy combining work experience and vocational learning with GCSEs, the programme also helps Young Apprentices acquire the work ethics and customer-facing skills that employers are looking for when taking on new recruits.î
Retail gets the go-ahead for Young Apprenticeships programme
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