T
Teslaisgod
I hope people on this forum don't think i am whining too much or jumping on my soap box unnecasserily but i wanted to post a letter i am writing to Vince Cable regarding the Adult Apprenticeship and I'd be interested in your thoughts:
FAO: Business Secretary Vince Cable
Subject: Adult Apprenticeship Funding Scandal.
Dear Mr Cable,
I am writing to you regarding an issue that is causing me some distress and frustration and I feel this is an issue that affects a large number of potential adult apprentices. However, before I delve into that issue I want to explain my situation and background.
Over two and a half years ago I decided to change my profession; previously I worked in an office based environment both as an administrator and as a data analyst. I then chose to pursue a role within the construction industry as an electrician. I spent the last two and a half years at Birmingham Metropolitan College. A building that you, yourself have visited. I completed my City & Guilds 2330 level 2 & 3, including my 17[SUP]th[/SUP] Edition wiring regulations which I am quite proud of. I worked part time during this period. The reduced income into the family home at that time caused great financial strain on my family. However, believing that the long term benefits of a career change were worth the temporary strain i chose to stick with my decision.
Subsequently, qualifying I am finding it very hard to find employment. Now I am aware that the construction industry has taken a blow and it will take time for it to get moving again, anywhere close to pre 2008 levels. However, time after time of applying and offering my skills and time for free, I am finding it difficult to gain experience never mind employment. Now that’s just the way it is I expect and I am not the sort of person to dwell on it, well not too much.
That aside I decided to try and access the apprenticeship scheme through apprenticeships.org, among others to try and gain work as an apprentice. I applied for a number of apprenticeships a handful of which were in my chosen field. Therefore with the relevant qualifications and experience I posses I felt quite confident I would at least get an interview. I didn’t. I was turned down for every single one. No reason was given nor were there any routes to finding out why. I could only assume it was a result of my age. That was until I came across information, from a variety of sources regarding the apprenticeship funding scheme.
Firstly, and as the business secretary I am sure you can understand this problem. According to the UK government website (https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide/employers-taking-on-an-apprentice ) you provide £1,500 for each apprentice an employer takes on from the age of 16 – 24. In addition you provide 100% of the training cost for apprentices aged 16 – 18 and 50% of the cost for apprentices aged 18 – 24. So, being at the over the hill age of 32 a company would neither receive the £1,500 government handshake for taking me on or the full or at the very least half cost of the training to be provided. Therefore, what right thinking business would ever offer me an apprenticeship? Especially, when the government will cover the cost for a specific age bracket, the fact that the apprenticeship funding scheme is exempt from age discrimination legislation shows quite clearly, that individuals are being discriminated against pro-actively by the governments funding scheme and by proxy potential employers based solely on the age of the individual.
Secondly, from April of this year the government as I am sure your aware is providing a financial loan to individuals over the age of 25 to help cover half the cost of training if they are taken on as an apprentice. Now, I have first hand experience of this new initiative sir so let me share with you what happened.
A month ago I went to a company called Birmingham Electrical Training who specialise in finding apprentices for electrical firms/contractors. I sat the assessment and passed them without a problem. I explained my position and what I had achieved in terms of qualifications. I then chased the company up to find out if any potential firms would be willing to take me on. This is an extract from those emails.
From BET:
“For applicants 24+ and wanting to take a qualification such as the Electrical Apprenticeship you have applied for, you can apply for a loan to help with the costs of a work based qualification (please see attached document).”
My Response:
Thanks for the email. i shall get my certificates over to you asap. Just had one or two questions:
How much would it cost to undertake the work based qualification?
What are the chances of an employer taking me on even if i pay for the work based qualification?
From BET:
The full amount of the Loan that you will need to take out is £7994.00 as this is half of the funding amount required to train you, the other half your employer will need to pay which is currently £100 per month for the life of the apprenticeship.
Now, it would have cost me £8000 for my half of the training costs for this apprenticeship. As a part time working individual with a household to support and after spending £2,500 of my own money to get qualified this seems like some kind of a joke. In order to fully qualify, I would need to complete my NVQ and my AM2. If I could find an employer that would be willing to take me on and pay for the course myself it would only cost me £1,500.
However, while you are providing such strong financial incentives for employers to take on apprentices of a certain age and while employers have that free and financially rewarding avenue open to them I will find it difficult to say the least to gain entry into this industry. The biggest joke is that you believe that an employer would be willing to pay £8,000 to fund half the training for individuals over the age of 25. If I did find such an employer I would have to pay a further £8000.
In summary, the apprenticeship funding scheme is a joke, you haven’t helped me at all as an adult looking for work or as an adult apprentice trying to break into the industry. In fact, this system is counter productive and a number of capable hard working individuals like me will be caught out and will have to pay the price.
My questions are quite simple:
How are you going to address this?
When are you going to address this issue?
Why, should I be excluded from the apprenticeship funding scheme based on my age?
Will you ask for a review into this matter?
I await your response and comments.
Thank you for your time
FAO: Business Secretary Vince Cable
Subject: Adult Apprenticeship Funding Scandal.
Dear Mr Cable,
I am writing to you regarding an issue that is causing me some distress and frustration and I feel this is an issue that affects a large number of potential adult apprentices. However, before I delve into that issue I want to explain my situation and background.
Over two and a half years ago I decided to change my profession; previously I worked in an office based environment both as an administrator and as a data analyst. I then chose to pursue a role within the construction industry as an electrician. I spent the last two and a half years at Birmingham Metropolitan College. A building that you, yourself have visited. I completed my City & Guilds 2330 level 2 & 3, including my 17[SUP]th[/SUP] Edition wiring regulations which I am quite proud of. I worked part time during this period. The reduced income into the family home at that time caused great financial strain on my family. However, believing that the long term benefits of a career change were worth the temporary strain i chose to stick with my decision.
Subsequently, qualifying I am finding it very hard to find employment. Now I am aware that the construction industry has taken a blow and it will take time for it to get moving again, anywhere close to pre 2008 levels. However, time after time of applying and offering my skills and time for free, I am finding it difficult to gain experience never mind employment. Now that’s just the way it is I expect and I am not the sort of person to dwell on it, well not too much.
That aside I decided to try and access the apprenticeship scheme through apprenticeships.org, among others to try and gain work as an apprentice. I applied for a number of apprenticeships a handful of which were in my chosen field. Therefore with the relevant qualifications and experience I posses I felt quite confident I would at least get an interview. I didn’t. I was turned down for every single one. No reason was given nor were there any routes to finding out why. I could only assume it was a result of my age. That was until I came across information, from a variety of sources regarding the apprenticeship funding scheme.
Firstly, and as the business secretary I am sure you can understand this problem. According to the UK government website (https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide/employers-taking-on-an-apprentice ) you provide £1,500 for each apprentice an employer takes on from the age of 16 – 24. In addition you provide 100% of the training cost for apprentices aged 16 – 18 and 50% of the cost for apprentices aged 18 – 24. So, being at the over the hill age of 32 a company would neither receive the £1,500 government handshake for taking me on or the full or at the very least half cost of the training to be provided. Therefore, what right thinking business would ever offer me an apprenticeship? Especially, when the government will cover the cost for a specific age bracket, the fact that the apprenticeship funding scheme is exempt from age discrimination legislation shows quite clearly, that individuals are being discriminated against pro-actively by the governments funding scheme and by proxy potential employers based solely on the age of the individual.
Secondly, from April of this year the government as I am sure your aware is providing a financial loan to individuals over the age of 25 to help cover half the cost of training if they are taken on as an apprentice. Now, I have first hand experience of this new initiative sir so let me share with you what happened.
A month ago I went to a company called Birmingham Electrical Training who specialise in finding apprentices for electrical firms/contractors. I sat the assessment and passed them without a problem. I explained my position and what I had achieved in terms of qualifications. I then chased the company up to find out if any potential firms would be willing to take me on. This is an extract from those emails.
From BET:
“For applicants 24+ and wanting to take a qualification such as the Electrical Apprenticeship you have applied for, you can apply for a loan to help with the costs of a work based qualification (please see attached document).”
My Response:
Thanks for the email. i shall get my certificates over to you asap. Just had one or two questions:
How much would it cost to undertake the work based qualification?
What are the chances of an employer taking me on even if i pay for the work based qualification?
From BET:
The full amount of the Loan that you will need to take out is £7994.00 as this is half of the funding amount required to train you, the other half your employer will need to pay which is currently £100 per month for the life of the apprenticeship.
Now, it would have cost me £8000 for my half of the training costs for this apprenticeship. As a part time working individual with a household to support and after spending £2,500 of my own money to get qualified this seems like some kind of a joke. In order to fully qualify, I would need to complete my NVQ and my AM2. If I could find an employer that would be willing to take me on and pay for the course myself it would only cost me £1,500.
However, while you are providing such strong financial incentives for employers to take on apprentices of a certain age and while employers have that free and financially rewarding avenue open to them I will find it difficult to say the least to gain entry into this industry. The biggest joke is that you believe that an employer would be willing to pay £8,000 to fund half the training for individuals over the age of 25. If I did find such an employer I would have to pay a further £8000.
In summary, the apprenticeship funding scheme is a joke, you haven’t helped me at all as an adult looking for work or as an adult apprentice trying to break into the industry. In fact, this system is counter productive and a number of capable hard working individuals like me will be caught out and will have to pay the price.
My questions are quite simple:
How are you going to address this?
When are you going to address this issue?
Why, should I be excluded from the apprenticeship funding scheme based on my age?
Will you ask for a review into this matter?
I await your response and comments.
Thank you for your time
) he knows you're writing to him because he's just received the letter. I genuinely hope you get some sort of satisfaction but his response will probably be we have to draw the line somewhere. The only advice I can give is to try to get in somewhere as a mate which would allow you to complete your portfolio for the NVQ. Best of luck.
