Conference: Daring to be Different

Apprenticeships and diversity: meeting the skills challenge.

Royal Opera House, London. 12 December 2007

The Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) joined forces with the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network (AAN) to produce a new business guide to promoting diversity in Apprenticeships. We launched this at a conference on 12th December 2007 in London.

The aim of the Conference was to:

Launch the new EHRC/AAN guide for employers on the business case for diversity in apprenticeships
Hear first hand from some employers about how they are putting diversity into practice and why they are doing it
Learn about the Government’s new agenda for skills and diversity in apprenticeships
Disseminate practical tips and case studies
Share with delegates the Commission’s approach and focus on apprenticeships and the skills agenda
Hear from apprentices about how it feels to be an apprentice in a non-traditional job.

Delegates heard keynote presentations from Sir Roy Gardner, Chair of the AAN, Trevor Phillips, Chair of the EHRC and David Lammy MP, minister with responsibility for apprenticeships and diversity.

Practical experience of diversity and apprenticeships came from employers and apprentices themselves, including:

Employers - British Gas, Kesslers International Ltd, Ministry of Defence, Puffins of Exeter Childcare Centres
Apprentices - British Gas, BAE Systems Ltd, Puffins of Exeter Childcare Centres and Dukeries Building Company

Delegates also heard from Kay Carberry of the TUC and Rod Kenyon, OBE from the British Gas Engineering Academy.

Why focus on diversity and apprenticeships?

In the autumn of 2007, the Prime Minister announced a major expansion of the apprenticeship scheme, with:

a doubling of places by 2020,
more funding for apprentice employers,
a place for every young person who wants one by 2013, and
a UCAS-style matching service to bring budding apprentices and businesses together.

Apprenticeships are destined to become a key routeway of choice for young people, and more employers need to get on board.

Many employers are already wise to the positive returns from offering apprenticeships.

The best employers also recognise the additional gains from increasing the diversity of their apprentices and workforces.

What are the business benefits?

Recruiting the best – a wider pool of applicants

Enhancing skill sets – bringing in new skills essential to efficiency and competitiveness
Employers of choice – enhancing local and national reputation
Meeting customer needs through a more representative workforce
Employee satisfaction, development, retention and cost savings.

Images from the event

Speakers at the event included (from left to right): Tony Hall, Chief Executive, Royal Opera House. David Lammy MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Christine Gaskell, HR Director, Bentley Motors.Trevor Phillips OBE, Chair, Equality & Human Rights Commission. Sir Roy Gardner, Chair Compass Group Plc and Chair of the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network.

Apprentices at the event – talking about their own experiences were (left to right): Stephanie Wyatt – Apprentice Painter and Decorator, Dukeries Building Company. Matt Watson - Puffins of Exeter Childcare Centres. Toni Das - Advanced Apprentice Technical Engineer, British Gas. Sujit Singh Ahluwalia – Technical Apprentice, BAE Systems. Helen Bennett – Apprentice Plumbing & Heating Engineer, Dukeries Building Company. Elvis Ridley - Advanced Apprentice Technical Engineer, British Gas. Charlotte Tingley – Technical Apprentice, BAE Systems.

The session was facilitated by Christine Gaskell, Bentley Motors (far left).

Photos: © S Saunders/Digital Nation Ltd

April 2008 updates

EHRC consultation response

The Commission has recently responded to a major consultation on apprenticeships by the DIUS and the DCSF – “World-class Apprenticeships: Unlocking Talent, Building Skills for All”. The consultation sets out the Government’s strategy for the future of Apprenticeships in England. Download our response (Word 794kb).

Find out more about the DIUS consultation on the DIUS website.

Apprenticeship pay rates

The DIUS has recently published a 2007 survey of apprenticeship pay rates by sector. Go to the DIUS website for more information.

Update on apprenticeships and gender

At the end of March 2008, the TUC published its report 'Still more (better paid) jobs for the boys - Apprenticeships and Gender Segregation' which aims to bring the reader up to date with work to address gender equality in apprenticeships over the last 3 years. See a copy of the press release and access the report on the TUC website.

August 2008 updates

Low Pay Commission - Minimum Wage Apprentice Exemptions Review - Evidence of the Equality and Human Rights Commission

The Government has asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to review the current apprentice exemptions and advise whether they are still appropriate. The Commission is asked to bear in mind the Government’s ambition to increase the number of apprentices to 500,000 and the need to ensure that sufficient employed places are available when the education participation age is raised in 2013.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission welcomes the review and the opportunity to respond to the LPC call for evidence on how the minimum wage exemptions are working in practice in relation to apprenticeships.

Download the Commission's full response (Word 72kb)

More Information

We’re always interested to hear from business and employers about the work they are doing to recruit a diverse pool of apprentices. If you’d like to share your experience with us please contact David Hibbert.