A potential pot of £1.5 billion has been made available to fund 250,000 apprenticeship places over the next four years, including the new logistics qualification.
The FTA, RHA, CILT and Skills for Logistics have urged employers to claim their share of available funding as part of a continuous professional development programme.
Skills for Logistics together with employers from the sector, developed a Logistics Operations Apprenticeship, allowing the full range of key logistics activities to be experienced in a single apprenticeship.
Under the scheme the government meets all the training cost for 16-19 year olds and half the training costs for those aged 19-24.The funding will not come to the logistics sector as of right – it has to be called down.
Mick Jackson, chief executive of Skills for Logistics, said: For the first time we can offer an apprentice experience across the logistics function – making them a much more rounded team member when they have completed it. However, apprenticeships are not just for young people, they can give anybody’s career a boost. Every one of our apprenticeships clearly shows career progression along The Professional Development Stairway.”
And James Hookham, managing director policy and communications at the FTA, said: “It is vital that logistics takes up its share of funded places to ensure this flow of government support continues.”
Apprenticeships offer new entrants, as well as existing employees, a variety of different work experiences that can be arranged by the employer over a one, two or three year period. These are supported by modular learning courses providing theory and knowledge to back up the practical work experience.
The CILT is introducing an Apprentice grade of membership to support individuals throughout their apprenticeship, said institute chief Steve Agg.
