Apprenticeship taskforce will improve opportunities for young Londoners

Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills

Ten years ago, only 75,000 people started apprenticeships - and many of those who started apprenticeships didn't complete them. Over the past decade, the Government has more than doubled the number of young people and adults starting apprenticeships.

But there are currently fewer apprenticeship opportunities per head for London's young people and adults than in almost any other part of England, with particular problems of under-representation among ethnic minorities.

London saw only 11,090 apprentices start in 2006/07, compared to 32,210 in the North-West, a region with a similar sized population.

The Taskforce, headed by David Lammy, and comprising employers, local government representatives, college principals and training providers, aims to persuade more London employers to offer apprenticeships. It will focus on public sector employers, and small and medium-sized private enterprises, which comprise 86 per cent of all businesses in London - the highest proportion of any part of the country.

The Taskforce will also work with employers to encourage them to open up their apprenticeships to the increasingly diverse workforce of the future.
Currently nearly a third of the population of the City of London is from an ethnic minority background.

Skills Minister David Lammy said:

"There aren't enough apprenticeships available in London - and London's people, young and old, deserve better. That's why today I'm launching the London Apprenticeships Task Force to boost their growth.

"Apprenticeships are valued across Britain as a means of unlocking people's talents and providing employers with a well-trained workforce which helps their business succeed. But more than that, apprenticeships are about young people learning from older people, about handing knowledge on to future generations, and about giving young people the self-respect that might prevent them wasting their talents or getting involved in crime."

"We need to meet the demand for skills in London that really should - be met by Londoners. Sectors like construction and retail, as well as our public services are crying out for high quality staff, so there is no excuse for not exploiting the apprenticeships route to meeting skills needs."

London has a series of opportunities to bring about substantial community regeneration, improvements to infrastructure, and economic growth. The Government believes the preparations for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, for Crossrail and the Thames Gateway must be accompanied by a signal improvement in skills among London residents.

As part of the Government's ambitious plans, by 2013 all suitable qualified school leavers will be entitled to an apprenticeship place. As the demand for apprenticeships grows, the Government hopes that over the next decade, one in five young people will start an apprenticeship.

Information on apprenticeships in the Sport and Active Leisure sector can be found on our apprenticeships pages.