Skills minister declares support for professional apprenticeships
Professional apprenticeships such as those developed by Building Services Engineering Services Training (BEST) have received the approval of skills minister John Hayes. In a letter to BEST chief executive Dr Mark Brenner, Mr Hayes confirmed that the Government was committed to improving progression routes ‘into and through apprenticeships’.
He indicated that the approach taken by BEST, which has been endorsed by the trade union Unite, could serve as ‘an exemplar for the Government’s current objectives’.
Mr Hayes wrote, ‘We aim to ensure that there are clear qualification and career pathways from pre-apprenticeship and foundation level right through to higher-level skills and professional development ... and are working on ways to ensure that people can progress through an apprenticeship to higher-level professional skills and university.’
The BEST professional apprenticeships have been developed in partnership with the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, the Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating and the Institution of Engineering & Technology.
They enable apprentices pursuing Level 3 NVQs to receive Eng Tech accreditation following achievement of qualifying criteria laid down by the Engineering Council and to continue their professional development on to bachelor and master degree status.
Mr Hayes wrote, ‘I am keen to see professional bodies and guilds involved, and your approach is exactly the type of professional apprenticeship route I would like to see more of.’
