IMI issue statement on Ofsted report

The IMI has for some time, been commenting that setting a figure such as 3 million Apprenticeship starts might have a detrimental effect on quality – and the quality cannot be compromised of Apprenticeship programmes. In addition, for the automotive retail sector, we acknowledge that more needs to be done around the providing of careers advice and guidance, in schools, to promote those sectors and occupations where there are likely to be skills shortages, but also to change the perception of vocational programmes to champion them as the ‘new norm’.
 
Whilst the Trailblazer work is moving forward, it is acknowledged in the report that more needs to be done to engage with SMEs in this work to ensure that programmes are fit-for-purpose and the quality is there not just for the large but the sector as a whole.  For a sector such as the automotive retail sector which is made up of 80% of small businesses – we need to ensure that apprenticeships work for them through effective consultation on the trailblazer standards.   It is also quite telling that in the report there are still 84% of employers in the UK not engaged in apprenticeships, and we must get to the bottom of this.
 
Commenting on the report the IMI’s Head of Policy and Standards, James Stockdale said, “The articulation of some of the issues and challenges outlined in the Ofsted report really do highlight the mammoth task that all parties interested in apprenticeship programmes have.  We cannot allow quality to be affected by the ambitious targets, and it is clear that more needs to be done to ensure that we have a flow of learners coming onto the programmes from school; but also that these employees embarking on apprenticeships have the quality programmes and learning journeys that they can build their careers on.”
 
“What we simply cannot afford to do, is dwell on the pieces that Ofsted raises – we need to tackle some of these issues quickly and robustly to ensure that apprenticeships continue to service the needs of the sectors.  In the automotive sector we see around 12k completions per year – and we want to see an increase in the numbers coming through, particularly for those occupations sectors where there are future skills shortage needs”.