The Young Apprenticeship programme was launched in September 2004 for 14-16 year olds.
The YA programme aims to provide a new route for motivated and able pupils in Key Stage 4 to study for vocational qualifications. Students are based in school and follow the core National Curriculum. For two days a week, or the equivalent, they work at school, college, with training providers and in the workplace towards nationally recognised vocational qualifications taught by their local YA partnership. A unique feature of the two-year programme is that each partnership provides 50 days’ work experience.
The first cohort of 1,000 students, in 39 partnerships, in 30 LLSC areas completed the YA programme in July 2006. The first cohort was available in the engineering, business and administration, motor, art and design, and health and social care industries. Cohort 2 (2005–2007) involves 2,000 students, across 78 partnerships and in 41 LLSC areas. It includes the industry sectors for cohort 1 and also performing arts, textiles, hospitality, and sports management, leadership and coaching.
In engineering, Young Apprentices study qualifications such as the GCSE in Engineering, Applying Engineering Principles Technical Certificate, and units of Performing Engineering Operations NVQ at Level 2.
How can you help?
The scheme is currently looking for employers to support the work-related learning elements of the programme. Perhaps you can contribute to the 50 days of work experience each young person must complete? Or offer a workplace visit to a cohort of young people, so they can see "engineering in action"?
If you can help, please contact Sharon Davies at Pro-Train (address on the right).
Key findings of the Ofsted report on YA
- In the partnerships inspected, the YA programme provided a successful alternative to traditional Key Stage 4 provision. The students were highly motivated and enjoyed the provision. In over half the partnerships, students achieved well and developed good practical skills and knowledge related to their vocational area.
- The most effective YA partnerships were based on good collaborative arrangements between partners, supported effectively by LLSCs and LAs. Over half the partnerships had effective arrangements for managing collaborative activities, often built on existing partnerships.
- Almost all teaching or training staff were appropriately qualified, which led to the good teaching seen in over half the partnerships. Teaching was inadequate in only one partnership.
- Almost all partnerships had well resourced, good quality accommodation and effective procedures to ensure students’ safety.
- Students and their parents were knowledgeable about the programme’s requirements. Students were well informed about the quality of their work, how it could be improved and the assessment requirements of their programmes.
- Although partnerships set targets for students, these were rarely informed by their knowledge of students’ attainment at Key Stage 3. Individual learning plans were either not used at all or were at very early stages of development and, in about two thirds of the partnerships inspected, they did not support students effectively.
- Arrangements for work placements were good in over half the partnerships inspected. Four partnerships did not provide the required 50 days’ work experience. Students were not always clear about the links between learning on work placements and its relevance to qualifications, and the opportunities for them to consolidate or extend their learning between YA sessions were limited.
- Many occupational areas were dominated by one gender. Strategies to tackle gender stereotyping were either non-existent or not yet effective.
- Strategies to encourage students from minority ethnic backgrounds to join YA programmes were not consistently effective.
The engineering programme is mentioned as an example of good practice in a couple of places in the report, but Ofsted also found the engineering YA to be dominated by boys, and needs to improve its gender balance.
EEF Northern is involved in the Young Apprenticeship scheme in their area, while other EEF Associations can advise you on how to support the programme.