Give apprentices more help, businesses say

Date: 28th July 2009

Britain's apprentices need more help from the government, a top small business group has suggested.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) unveiled a raft of new proposals aimed at boosting the efficacy of present apprenticeship systems.

These include an increase to the workers' minimum weekly wage from £93 to £123, a new "safety net" job service to "link up" applicants with businesses offering apprentice schemes and extra targeted funding from the government's pre-existing skills budget.

This public support - known as Train to Gain - is currently little-known and little-used by Britain's smallest businesses, the FSB pointed out.

John Wright, national chairman at the group, added: "The majority of small firms would like to take on an apprentice but are put off by the administration involved, and the lack of financial support.

"Funds from the government's Train to Gain scheme in England must also be ring-fenced for the smallest firms, to ensure they are able to get the funding they need to train and support an apprentice."

A recent poll from the FSB revealed that over four in five (82 per cent) of members were in favour of increasing the apprentices' minimum wage.