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Apprenticeships Summit 2010
Skills for sustainable growth
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Thursday 20th May 2010
Grosvenor Hotel, Edinburgh
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Conference chair:Keynote speakers:Also presenting:- Jacqui Hepburn, Director (Scotland), Alliance of Sector Skills Councils
- Karen Adams, Educational Projects Manager, NHS Education for Scotland
- Susan Laing, Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship, School of Management, Edinburgh Napier University
- Sue Pinder OBE, Principal and Chief Executive, James Watt College
- Dr. Christine Fitton, Director (Scotland), Lifelong Learning UK
- Jason Hunter, 2009 Apprentice of the Year, Modern Apprenticeship Awards
- Dr Gill Stewart, Director of Qualifications Development, SQA
- John Gibson, Managing Director, Tigers Ltd
- Ray Wilson, Director of Training Services, Carillion plc
- Maria Roushias, Scotland's Colleges
- Joanna McGillivray, Scotland's Colleges
- David Whitton MSP, Scottish Labour's spokesperson on Finance, Sustainable Growth & Skills and member of the Cross Party Group on Skills
The skills landscape in Scotland has inevitability felt the impact of the recession with budget cuts and funding issues increasingly in the minds of both public and private employers. Apprenticeships have traditionally been a way to link skills, training and on the job experience and provide opportunities for both employees and employers, yet for apprenticeship schemes to be effective they need to be linked to future skills gaps in the economy and to real jobs and long-term opportunities after the training is complete.
The conference will hear from Chris Humphries CBE, Chief Executive of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills who launched their Report 'Towards Ambition 2020: skills, jobs, growth for Scotland.' which considers its route out of recession and suggests that Scotland's sustainable economic progress will depend on the industries, businesses and jobs it is able to create, and on having the skilled workforce it needs to do those jobs well.
Delegates will hear from Skills Development Scotland, the Scottish Government skills body about the training and support that they are providing, as well as the funding mechanisms in place to help employers create opportunities for apprentice training. In the last financial year, 2008-9, Skills Development Scotland supported 10,700 new starts on the Modern Apprenticeship programme in Scotland, yet there remains a high demand for work-based learning and more must be done to create opportunities benefitting the employer, the apprentices and the wider economy. With emerging technologies, new media and changing economic markets more must be done to create apprenticeships that will support Scotland’s economic growth.
The event will also hear from John Park MSP, Labour Spokesperson for Skills and the Co-Convenor of the CPG on Skills, who introduced the Apprenticeships (Scotland) Bill in March 2008. What is the progress on the Bill and what impact has the credit crunch had on it?
Hearing from policy makers, skills agencies, apprenticeship providers, and apprentices this event will look at the role of apprenticeships as the UK emerges from recession. It will be an opportunity to debate issues around funding, support for SMEs, older apprentices and re-skilling the existing workforce.
With the Scottish Government planning to have 50,000 people in work-related training by 2011, how will apprenticeship places be funded, what is the role of public sector apprenticeships and which sectors will benefit the most from government initiatives? How are ‘new’ apprentice sector being supported such as those in life sciences, renewables and the creative industries? Bringing together training providers, colleges, public bodies, those working with young people and private sector partners, this event will consider key partnerships and priorities moving forward.
Key debate questions include:
- How has the economic downturn affected the need for and government response to vocational skills and apprenticeships?
- Where are apprentice places needed most, for economic recovery and future sustainable growth?
- Is there sufficient investment in new industry apprenticeships, particularly IT and new media?
- What support and information is available for SMEs to help them take on and sustain apprentice places?
- How can partnerships be improved between the education sector and private companies?
- What opportunities are available for apprentices after their work experience?
- What new placement opportunities are emerging?
Shaf Rasul, entrepreneur and star of BBC online's Dragon's Den has confirmed that he will speak on why apprentices matter more than ever.
If you have any questions, please email us or call us on 0131 272 2133.
We look forward to seeing you at this important conference.
Read more:
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) are available to at anyone over the age of 16 with the aim of apprentices achieving a vocational qualification (VQ) at Level Two or above. Modern Apprenticeships can be used to train existing employees or new employees and vitally any company in Scotland - whatever its size - can take part in the programme. In February 2009 the Scottish Government announced the provision of the additional funding of £16 million in 2009-10 to increase the number of new starts on Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland to 18,500 (an increase of 7,800), and a commitment to sustain these individuals in their places for the duration of their apprenticeship. The Scottish Government has since exceeded its target, with nearly 20,000 apprentices beginning their placements.
www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/what-we-do/skills-and-training/modern-apprenticeships.aspx |
Conference development by: Cristina Masters
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Upcoming conferences
| September 2010 |
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| October 2010 |
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