Keits

News                                                                                                 
Last updated 5 February 2010

‘Apprentices can benefit your business’ – Regional Minister

Businesses across Surrey were today urged to find out more about how apprentices could provide their companies with a workforce for the future.

The call came from South East Regional Minister Jonathan Shaw as he met apprentices at Longacres Nursery in Bagshot, one of the largest garden centre outlets in the South East.

The nursery currently employs 17 apprentices, at all ages, who are working towards apprenticeships in floristry, horticulture and management.

The visit came during National Apprenticeship Week (February 1-5 2010) – a week which has seen the launch of the Golden Hello, a new grant, available until the end of March, for employers taking on an unemployed 16 or 17 year old straightaway.

The Minister said: “I have been delighted to meet apprentices at Longacres, to hear how the experience is helping them, and to see how Longacres is benefiting from their ambition, motivation and the role they play in helping to satisfy the current and future needs of the industry.

“Building jobs and skills is one of my priorities as Regional Minister. We need to harness the enthusiasm of young people and give them the opportunity to get on the job ladder. At the same time we must ensure our workforce is equipped with the skills South East businesses need for future growth and success.

"Apprenticeships are a key route to building the national skills base and at a time of economic downturn it is vital we continue to invest in people and their skills.

“The Government’s aim is that one in five of all young people will be undertaking an Apprenticeship within the next decade.”

The target number of South East apprenticeship 'starts' for 16-24-year-olds is 29,920 in 2009-10. This represents a 4,097 increase in starts from 08-09. Of these, 3,199 are in the 16-18 age group and 898 in the 19-24 age group.

The target number of 16-18-year-old apprenticeship starts August 2009-January 2010 in Surrey is 944. The total for the South East region is 11,601.

The apprenticeships at Longacres were arranged by KEITS (Keeping Excellence In Training Standards).

KEITS was one of the successful bidders to win a share of a £7million pot to create an Apprenticeship Training Association (ATA).

With KATO (Kent Association of Training Organisations) it has formed the South East Apprenticeship Company (SEAC), which will work in partnership with key training providers to offer apprenticeship places to be set up in Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

SEAC was officially launched at the ‘Good for Business’ breakfast seminar in Maidstone, Kent on Monday February 1. Jonathan Shaw gave a keynote speech at the event.







 Apprentices

If you are aged 19 or over and have completed the first year of your apprenticeship you are entitled to the NMW. Apprentices for NMW purposes are either workers who have contracts of apprenticeship or workers taking part in training schemes who are treated as if they have a contract of apprenticeship. The schemes in England are the Apprenticeships or Advanced Apprenticeships.

 
Minimum Wage

The minimum wage for all Apprentices in England is set to increase from £80 to £95 per week from 1 August 2009.

The Government wants to ensure that the earnings of all Apprentices are fair and that they should reflect the support given to young people pursuing other qualifications.

For further information: