Apprenticeship red tape to be ‘swept away’

At a CBI summit today (6 September), the minister promised to "sweep away" red tape and bureaucracy. Firms that contract directly with the government to train apprentices will now benefit, he said, from simplified payment, reporting and assessment requirements. There will also be better guidance to help employers manage the recruitment, training and assessment of apprentices more efficiently and cost effectively. Hayes said: "Where red tape and bureaucracy deters employers from taking on apprentices, we'll sweep it away. "That will give more firms access to the skills they need to thrive, creating new jobs and new growth, and it will give many more individuals better prospects and the chance to gain a real stake in society." The actions include: * A pilot for over 20 large employers who have volunteered to trial "payment by outcomes" which will eliminate a number of data returns and audit requirements. * Provision of an online plain-English toolkit that clearly explains the end-to-end processes employers need to undertake for apprenticeships. * A more proportionate approach to audit and inspection - reducing preparation time for employers. * Greater use of electronic information. * A more streamlined certification process. Susan Anderson, CBI director for education and skills policy, welcomed the announcement: "Cutting bureaucracy will support even more businesses to become involved and these recommendations set out the right path for reform. They recognise that employers are primarily concerned with the day-to-day running of their businesses, and that they are committed to offering high quality training as their reputation and business success depends on this. We will work with government to take these plans forward". Further measures to cut red tape for small and medium sized employers taking on apprentices will be unveiled by government this autumn. The reforms announced at the summit are in response to a report from the Learning and Skills Improvement Service, which sets out recommendations for tackling the bureaucracy faced by large direct contract employers delivering apprenticeships. The report 'Employer Reference Group – Simplifying end to end apprenticeship processes for employers' is available at www.lsis.org.uk.