Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director of Children’s Services regarding the Hampshire Apprenticeship Programme.

[With regard to this item, Councillor Grajewski declared a personal interest by virtue of being a Governor at Eastleigh College]

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services regarding the Hampshire Apprenticeship Programme.

The report was introduced and the distinction between the County Council’s apprenticeship programme and the programme for Hampshire schools was made. With regard to the County Council’s programme, it was confirmed that the number of starts had increased and that the majority of these were for the professional development of existing staff. It was highlighted that the digital account for apprenticeships had a balance of £5 million, of which around £2.5 million was committed. It was explained that take-up of apprenticeships would increase as more professional qualifications became available through this route,  in particular for social workers. The challenge in continuing to increase apprenticeship starts was acknowledged and would depend on the number of degree level options going forward. Apprenticeships into teaching were being promoted, but were currently limited as they required graduate entry and some other routes into teaching were better incentivised.

Members welcomed the report and were keen that apprenticeships were promoted beyond the County Council’s own staffing requirements in the interests of supporting the wider Hampshire economy and furthermore were not only seen as an option for young people. It was agreed to amend the recommendations in the report to ask officers to consider ways in which the scheme could be promoted further and faster.

The recommendations in the report were considered and it was RESOLVED:

That the EHCC Committee

i.              Note the progress being made in the development and delivery of the Hampshire Apprenticeship and Hampshire Schools Apprenticeship programmes and ask officers to consider ways in which the scheme could be promoted further and faster.

ii.            Note the financial position including the pending clawback of uncommitted levy funds from May 2019.

iii.           Receive a future update report in 2020.