HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Apprenticeships are back, says Gordon Brown [January 1999]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 25 January 1999.

Modern apprenticeships in Wales are set to rise by fifty per cent to 14,000 over the next three years, creating a winning workforce for Wales, announced Chancellor Gordon Brown today.

Speaking in Bridgend at the seventh Productivity Challenge Roadshow with Secretary of State for Wales Alun Michael, the Chancellor said:

“The productivity challenge we face is not simply about working harder, but working better. We must recognise the importance of expanding and improving our skills base, and the crucial role education has to play. That is why modern traineeships and apprenticeships are vital to Britain winning the skills race of the future. Not only do they provide a first class vocational route, but they are popular with both employers and young people.

“That is why I am announcing today our planned expansion of modern apprenticeships in Wales, giving more young people choice and opportunity and providing employers with a pool of potential. We are keen to extend apprenticeships into small and medium sized businesses – and particularly anxious to see women as well as men benefit from the new apprenticeships. Wales will benefit this year from 9,000 apprenticeships, rising to 14,000 by 2002. In the UK this year, we will have 150,000 rising to 200,000 over the next four years.”

The Chancellor set out the proposals already in hand to tackle the productivity gap, and stressed the importance of encouraging entrepreneurship and enterprise.

“We all – Government and business – have a role to play in encouraging risk taking and high-growth business. I therefore want every Government department to be obliged to encourage enterprise and entrepreneurs. We will give support for a national campaign for enterprise, to be led by the British Chamber of Commerce. And we also want to look at ways of removing the stigma associated with business failure, improving the help given to start-ups, and changing our insolvency laws to give businesses in difficulties a better chance of turning around.

“But raising our productivity starts in the classroom, not the boardroom, and the additional 19 billion Pounds we are investing throughout the UK will help to radically improve standards in our schools. Already we have started to cut the numbers leaving school early without qualifications, and increased by 500,000 the places in colleges and universities.

“Taken together with my announcement today, Britain is on its way to winning the skills race for the future.”