The Richard Review of Apprenticeships: Call for Evidence

First published on Tue, July 17, 2012.

Creative & Cultural Skills is playing an active role in a new, independent evaluation of the Apprenticeship system led by social entrepreneur, Doug Richard.

The Richard Review will take a medium to long term look at apprenticeships in England and will help inform the Government’s future apprenticeship strategy.

Creative & Cultural Skills has been working with industry partners, employers and Further Education providers to promote and support high quality apprenticeships tailored to meet the needs of creative businesses since 2008. Over the next few weeks, we are inviting employers and practitioners in the creative and cultural industries to contribute to our submission to the Review by sharing views on what works, what doesn’t, and how provision of apprenticeships within the sector could be improved.

Catherine Large, Joint CEO, Creative & Cultural Skills, welcomed the process: “The Richard Review offers an opportunity for businesses in the creative industries to help shape the future pool of employable, highly skilled young people the sector needs in order to thrive. Although the creative sector has enormous economic potential, it faces considerable skills shortages – a challenge we need to address if the industry is to continue to nurture new talent, innovation and creativity. Continued investment in high quality apprenticeships will provide young people with real workplace experience, and equip them with skills that are genuinely in demand, giving them a competitive edge in the job market.”

The Richard Review aims to identify best practice within the apprenticeship system. Whether you are a business that currently benefits from an apprenticeship programme, or an employer that would consider taking on apprentices in the future but feels there are barriers preventing you from doing so, we welcome your response to the questions set out by the review:

1. What should the core components of an apprenticeship be - to meet the needs of employers (large and small), individuals, and the wider economy?

2. Who should apprenticeships be for - which types of learners and employers can benefit most from apprenticeships?

3. Are there elements of apprenticeships which should be simplified or stripped back?

4. Are the qualifications which are undertaken as part of an apprenticeship sufficiently rigorous, and recognised and valued by employers?

5. How should delivery arrangements ensure all that apprenticeships provide significant new learning and acquisition of new skills, rather than the accreditation of existing ones?

6. Are there opportunities to improve the impact and value for money of public investment in apprenticeships?

The survey has now closed. Creative & Cultural Skills would like to thank everyone who took the time to contribute a response. We will submit evidence to the Review in early September, and will endeavour to incorporate your views into our submission. 

If you have any further questions, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with ‘Richard Review’ in the subject line.

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