YMCA England responds to Chancellor George Osborne MP’s announcement that there will be three million new apprenticeship places by 2020.
Denise Hatton, Chief Executive at YMCA England, says: “We welcome the Government’s commitment to create three million new apprenticeship places by 2020. At YMCA, we know that when people receive the right training and skills, they are more likely to remain in sustained employment and less likely to have to access the welfare system.
“However, in addition to increasing the overall number of places, it is imperative that there is also an added commitment to creating a proportion of placements that are ring-fenced for young people.
“The greatest number of apprenticeships in the last Parliament were created for those aged over 25 compared to those aged 16 and 17-years-old and aged 18 to 24-years-old.
“For this policy to have the maximum positive impact, young people should be prioritised, in order to help them become more attractive to employers and ultimately gain meaningful employment.”