Column: Short course apprenticeships can reverse concerning skills gap trend
Posted on: 22nd Jan 2025
Apprenticeships 
Neville Algar, Head of Education at Ignite Training, explains why now is the time for employers to seriously consider how apprenticeships can support business growth
Right now in the UK, there is a critical skills shortage.
A report published by Skills England in the autumn revealed more than one in three vacancies in the UK were due to skills shortages – only eight years ago, that same figure was one in five (22 per cent).
In addition, of the 2.5 million critical roles – jobs in industries which contribute to significant economic growth – 90 per cent of vacancies will require training.
All this coincides with Government research confirming employer investment in training and education is at a historic low with investment per employee down by 19 per cent since 2011.
It’s a pretty bleak picture, but it is the collective reality of how highly employee retention, staff development and efficiency are regarded in some workplaces right now.
Last year, I wrote about Ignite Training’s visit to the Annual Apprenticeship Conference at the ICC in Birmingham where my colleagues Justin Merritt, Sorcha Gass and I attended a talk with Shadow Minister for Skills at the time Seema Malhotra MP.
During this talk, we learnt how Labour proposed to ensure apprenticeship levy funds could be used to support employers by providing short course skill pills to employees so they could address critical skills gaps.
Historically, apprenticeships have been studied over a minimum term of 12 months.
It is without doubt in my mind that removing this commitment barrier by unlocking shorter – more specific – training programmes will offer employers greater flexibility while education can be linked to help address knowledge voids businesses might be experiencing.
All the above contributes to my overriding feeling that now is a genuinely good time to take a serious look at how apprenticeships and new shorter vocational training programmes can support business growth.
Apprenticeships are proven to enhance efficiency and productivity while creating a skilled and stable workforce for the future. At the same time, I sympathise with employers where time is critical and committing staff to an apprenticeship lasting at least one year simply might not be practical.
But as we approach National Apprenticeship Week, I would encourage businesses of all sizes across all sectors to consider how flexible training programmes can support growth aspirations.
Through properly structured two-day workshops, it’s now possible to upskill colleagues with minimal disruption in areas such as emotional intelligence, finance and project management by using unspent levy funds.
It goes without saying our team would be more than pleased to discuss how training can help address your business issues as vocational education enters this new era.
Neville Algar, Head of Education.
