The belief that we should give future generations a better shot in life has always been part of British culture, yet long-term youth unemployment across the UK – including here in Crawley – remains stubbornly high. So what’s the Tory-led government doing about it? Looking at the facts, not a great deal.
The Conservative education secretary’s attempts to micromanage schools are seriously out of touch with the real world. A serious lack of technical training in our education system has been ignored, forcing children down a single academic route which fits neither their needs nor those of the economy. The system is crying out for a serious and useful alternative to degrees. Modern apprenticeships are the answer.
There is a major problem with both the low quality and quantity of existing apprenticeships. While young people in places like Crawley want and need skills, training and practical experience, this government is satisfied with leaving even those who can find work trapped in low-paying, low-skilled jobs with no opportunity of advancement.
Apprenticeships need to change, and through cooperating with education providers and the commercial sector a high-quality alternative to the academic route is within reach. But getting there will take hard-work and a government which genuinely cares about the life chances of the average young person.
I believe in leading by example and it is something the government is going to need to learn. Labour MPs have led the way by employing their own apprentices, but the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills – the department responsible for apprenticeships – revealed that four of its largest agencies, the Ordnance Survey, the Met Office, Companies House and the Land Registry, employ no apprentices at all.
There are groundbreaking schemes already under way, like in Leeds where they have started the Apprenticeship Training Agency, partnering the council and Leeds city college to provide a coherent offer around quality apprenticeships.
I was lucky that when I was doing my A levels in Crawley, I was offered the chance to learn hands-on experience at my local radio station. Learning the skills and different technical aspects of the radio industry gave me a 22-year career in radio. It’s that kind of opportunity I want every young person to have.
In Crawley, I regularly speak with companies who would be ready and willing to take on local kids as apprentices if it wasn’t for red tape and a lack of government support every step of the way. We can and must do something about it. Apprenticeships offer a chance to tackle youth unemployment and provide young people with the skills and experience they need for a lifetime career. It’s an opportunity the country can’t afford to miss and, as a party, we don’t intend to.
The private member’s bill I would introduce would be to enable local councils to coordinate and progress true local apprenticeships. Local, on-the-ground knowledge and a central point for administration would encourage and support locally based companies to take on apprentices, removing obstacles, and ensuring companies aren’t taking advantage of cheap labour, giving true life skills to a whole new generation.
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Chris Oxlade is Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Crawley, which is seat 26 on the Frontline 40. He tweets @ChrisOxlade
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