Minister hails work of Semta

Speaking at the ‘Skills Breakfast’ at The Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, he told the audience of employers and educators, that skilling Britain by creating three million apprenticeships remained at the top of the Government’s agenda.

He described Semta as a ‘wonderful organisation’ and recognised the work that it is undertaking to promote apprenticeships and vocational routes.

In response Semta CEO, Ann Watson, told the minister and the meeting that Semta – and the 145,000 companies that it represents – embraced the Government’s emphasis on the skills agenda and would work closely with them to achieve its targets.

"I am pleased that productivity is now at the heart of the Government’s plan to move the UK to a high-skill high-wage economy,” she said. "But we won’t improve productivity unless we improve skills.”

She told the minister that 26% of the workforce in engineering and advanced manufacturing had completed an apprenticeship – compared to just 10% of the entirety of those in work.

The meeting heard that employees completing a three-year apprenticeship could expect to earn £30,000 a year or more – and were likely to reward their employer with increased loyalty.