Questions over apprenticeship review

A Guernsey politician is questioning why Education has chosen to review the island's apprenticeship scheme.

Deputy Matt Fallaize, who has lodged questions with the department, says he would be opposed to the programme being cut back.

The former Education Board member said the UK had spent years trying to revive its own scheme after cuts in the 70s and 80s.

"If it is a review to try and improve the apprenticeship scheme so that a better service can be offered to apprentices and businesses involved, then I think that's a positive thing.

"But if it is a review carried out to save money, which probably would result in cutting the scheme to some extent, then I think it's a very bad thing because the UK did something like that 20 or 30 years ago and it didn't do terribly well at all."

Deputy Fallaize said the department's own website stated that it was viewed by many people in industry and education as 'one of the best youth training schemes in Europe'.

Having spoken to some Education board members he said, he wanted to be satisified the decision had been made by the politicians rather than staff.

"I wasn't absolutely certain they had a handle on what it was going to be about and what its objectives were."

He added that two members of staff were in charge of the scheme and given the number of apprentices enrolled, he would be surprised if it was found not to be effective.

But Education minister Robert Sillars said the States Financial Transformation Programme meant the department had to look at making savings everywhere.

"It's £660,000 that goes to the scheme. I think it's an excellent scheme and we need to keep it going, but we can't exclude it because I think it's excellent. It needs to be reviewed and we'll see what it comes up with."

Currently there are around 340 apprentices enrolled on 20 different courses.

Those include hairdressing, catering, landscape gardening, construction courses and motor vehicles.

Students have to find a company that is registered with the States which is willing to take them on.

Companies which employ students are offered grants.

The scheme has been running for 60 years.

The UK made the mistake of allowing the unions to kill off apprenticeships with their demands for wage parity irrespective of experience. This has cost us dear. Any scheme to support apprenticeships is worth every penny, these people are your future. Don't spoilt it.