Stamping out inadequate training

At long last, The Department for Business Innovation & Skills has indicated that any organisation offering fake or low-quality apprenticeship training could find themselves in court and facing hefty fines.   This latest move is a bid to outlaw inadequate training that can often see students duped into thinking that they are fully qualified when, in reality, they have undertaken courses or qualification with little worth.   According to skills minister, Nick Boles, this is part of a government crackdown on dodgy providers and bogus training courses fully supported by business and training providers.   Mr Boles claims that government is set to give apprenticeships similar controls to university degrees, enabling those working under the schemes to achieve the same level of distinction as those who have taken a more traditional route.   He added: “Everyone knows what a university degree means. It’s an official title. Young people doing apprenticeships should get the same level of distinction. I’m supporting working people by defining the word ‘apprenticeship’ in law. This will ensure people get the best training and opportunities.”   Following a government consultation, it had been reported that firms such as Balfour Beatty found students have been lured into apprenticeships which offered low-level training who, at the end, were severely under qualified and not able to apply for ‘real’ jobs.   Leo Quinn, chief executive of the Balfour Beatty Group, added: “Our industry needs talent and skills, therefore it is crucial that apprenticeships remain world-class so that we can continue to attract the best and brightest individuals.”   In the future, anyone offering fake or low-quality apprenticeship training will face the possibility of a fine and prosecution in a Magistrates Court. The government has currently committed to supporting three million new apprenticeships by 2020.   LCL Awards offers a wide variety of qualifications for the BSE sector via a network of more than 200 approved centres nationwide.   Logic4training is an approved Logiccert centre, delivering several of their courses. To view these or to become an approved centre, visit www.logiccertification.com.