Colleges report ‘significant shortfall’ in apprenticeships

By Rebecca Black, PA

There is a “significant shortfall” in the number of apprenticeship enrolments, a Stormont committee has been warned.

Ken Webb, chief executive of the South Eastern Regional College, described the situation as “very fluid at the moment”, adding the enrolment process is not yet complete.

Giving evidence to Stormont’s economy committee, he warned the industries with the biggest reduction in numbers include electrical and mechanical, engineering and motor vehicle.

“The number of apprenticeship enrolments to date has been taken as an indicator, as these are firmed up and our young people have accepted their place on an apprenticeship course and have an employer,” he told the committee.

“As the enrolment process is not complete, it is likely these numbers will increase, but it looks at the minute like there will be a significant shortfall.”

Mr Webb said 19% of employers are not likely to have their apprentices return to work by the end of September, and 51% of employers will not be recruiting new apprentices in September.

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He said health and social care is the only industry where the number of apprenticeships has been maintained.

“Some of the reasons included by employers for reducing numbers of apprenticeships and placement offers, are as follows; some are waiting to see what happens when the furlough scheme ends, due to Covid-19 employers have only have sufficient work for their current contracted staff, some construction employers have lost major contracts, due to Covid-19 transportation of apprentices and trainees in vans with company staff has become an issue for some businesses and due to social distancing requirements on sites and smaller working environments, employers have stated they cannot accommodate apprentices and trainees,” he said.

He added that colleges are concerned that “without clarity” around interventions by the Department for the Economy, that employers will “disengage with us”, and are worried about a risk that some apprentices may not return.

Brian Doran, chief executive of the Southern Regional College, added the focus of the colleges in recent weeks has been to “process the examinations, to also manage ongoing admissions and indeed preparing for the wider return”.

He said two-metre social distancing should apply in colleges due to the “diverse nature” of their student body, in terms of the age range.

“Over the summer months colleges and providers have undertaken a phased approach to resumption of some activities in order to prepare the way for students’ wider return next week,” he said.

“We have developed across the six colleges very detailed plans in line with the department’s framework, preparing for resumption.”

He described preparations including screens in areas such as IT suites, signage, hand sanitiser and personal protective equipment, measures which he said had cost more than £10 million across the six colleges.

Giving evidence to the committee later, Economy Minister Diane Dodds responded saying she was “a little bit disappointed” that college principals “felt there was a lack of clarity from the department”.

She said she will “very shortly” be making announcements around apprenticeships.