Redrow comments on the government’s new £3k apprenticeship hiring incentive scheme

The government’s new apprenticeship hiring incentive scheme commences today with employers in England receiving £3,000 per new hire until 30 Sep to encourage them to recruit apprentices to help a labour market hit by the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

This year, Redrow surveyed young people to uncover perceptions of apprenticeships, in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. It found: 

• More than a third of 16- to 21-year-olds less likely to choose university education in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic
• At the same time, 42% of young people say they are now more likely to consider on the job learning such as an apprenticeship
• More than a third (36%) of young people say they are concerned about their job prospects since the onset of the pandemic
• The proportion of young people offered information about apprenticeships via school falls to four-year low 

Karen Jones, HR Director at Redrow, comments: “The past 12months have seen the nation rocked by the Coronavirus pandemic, and the shockwaves are still being felt. Unemployment has reached its highest level in five years and six out of 10 employers stopped all new apprenticeships with immediate effect in April 2020. As a result, apprenticeships starts are down 18% on the year before.

 “But as success from the vaccine rollout and lockdown restrictions clear the way for a roadmap for a gradual re-opening of UK PLC, businesses can now start thinking about a positive and productive future. It is vital that young people can play a vital part in ‘building back better’, and apprenticeships will be critical in tackling the skills gap and helping power the UK’s economic recovery, as well as delivering much-needed homes and infrastructure. 

“Educational routes that combine learning and earning will have an even greater appeal following this long period of social distancing we’ve experienced, and a more competitive jobs market. We believe that today’s changing landscape offers a real opportunity to innovate the way that in which we attract young people into apprenticeships. To help elevate apprenticeships as an option for young people, we must first address the more negative attitudes held by some teachers and parents, while highlighting the benefits to young people nationwide.”