Over the last three decades manufacturing in Britain has undergone a dramatic shift in skill
profile.Traditionally, apprentices were the most important route into manufacturing and
their decline has been a key cause of the skills shortage we currently face.The MTA is
proactively helping to counter this through its Growing Talent initiative, but says greater
support is needed

Apprenticeships provide the lifeblood
of engineering-based
manufacturing.More than 130,000
companies in the UK offer apprenticeships
because they understand the benefits such
employees bring to their business –
increased productivity, improved
competitiveness and a committed and
competent work force.

Growing Talent
In recognition of the skills shortages within
the manufacturing sector – which are
particularly prevalent in SMEs – the
Manufacturing Technologies Association has
created the MTA Apprenticeship Scheme –
Growing Talent. This initiative offers
funding, guidance and support to members
wishing to create their own programmes
and develop talent in-house. It’s funded by a
charity created out of the MTA’s
endowment.

MTA members turning over less than
£5million can apply for a £2000 grant
and/or a £10,000 interest-free loan towards
the cost of taking on a new apprentice.

Apprenticeships funded in this way are those
offered through accredited training
providers and in accordance with national
frameworks.

As a member-based association, the
MTA’s scheme is constrained by the amount
of funds it can make available internally.

However, the Association believes that with
a little government funding the number of
apprenticeships could be significantly
increased.

Paul O’Donnell, head of external affairs,
explains: “With a modest level of support
from the government we believe this ‘lean’
scheme could be extended into the
manufacturing SME base, providing a highly
cost-effective way of reaching a large
number of ‘hard to reach’ firms. Growing
Talent provides a model for encouraging
SMEs to move into the provision of
apprenticeships.”
The MTA believes the scheme works well
for smaller companies because it is easy to
obtain and administer. The MTA is close to
its members and as such, is able to respond
collaboratively with the industry when
issues in the administration of the scheme
arise.

O’Donnell continues: “We believe that
such proximity – within a framework of
oversight – enables the scheme to run
cheaply and efficiently. The MTA is able to
keep overheads to a minimum because we
understand the sector and can advise
member companies on how best to make
use of the money available.”

High status apprenticeships
The problems that we face in ensuring a good
flow of apprentices into industry are not
limited to the issue of cost. Apprenticeship
programmes that do exist can experience
difficulties attracting appropriate candidates.

The image problem that engineering has in
the UK is well documented and
apprenticeships suffer similarly.

Past governments have damaged
perceptions of the apprenticeship path by
conflating initiatives to improve their take
up with those aimed at reducing the
number of NEETs (those not in education,
employment or training) in the economy.

There needs to be much greater care taken
over the language used about, and attitude
taken to, apprenticeships by all in education.

Apprenticeships – certainly those in
technology-based industries – should not be
a last resort but a career path for the able.

O’Donnell concludes: “We need to break
down the impression that exists that
apprenticeships are for those who can’t.We
want the brightest and best to pursue careers
in manufacturing. Apprenticeships need to
be given higher status.

“We need to work together to support our
sector and develop safeguards against future
skills shortages. Ensuring greater uptake of
dynamic apprenticeship schemes is a truly
viable way of doing this.”