The Richard Review of Apprenticeships: Call for Evidence

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.

If you would like to input into Creative & Cultural Skills’ consultation response, please complete this short survey.

Creative & Cultural Skills has been working with industry partners, employers and further education providers since 2008 to promote and support high quality apprenticeships tailored to meet the needs of creative businesses. 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 that 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 willing to consider taking on apprentices in the future but feeling that 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?

Please complete this short survey to contribute to our response. We will endeavour to incorporate responses from a wide range of businesses across all our sectors. Key case studies are also particularly welcomed.

If you have any further questions, please email lucy.brown@ccskills.org.uk.

The deadline for responses is 10th August 2012.