Apprenticeships have been one of Labour’s real success stories of the last decade. Labour has doubled the number of young people and adults successfully completing apprenticeships over the last four years. By 2020, we aim that the number successfully completing will rise further to around 190,000 per year.

Linda Gilroy said: “It is wonderful news that the number of people completing apprenticeships has risen by 63% in recent years. Labour recognises that apprenticeships are great opportunities for people to get on in work and in life. And I know that businesses locally in Plymouth will be reaping the rewards of training apprentices.”

David Lammy, Labour’s Skills Minister, said:  “Apprenticeships are great opportunities to get a foot on the career ladder, learn new skills and gain qualifications in a range of industries from engineering to media. That’s why Labour is committed to increasing both the quantity and quality of apprenticeships for young people and adults.

“Today, one in 15 young people take an apprenticeship. Labour’s ambition is that within the next decade, we will encourage enough employers to come forward so that one in 5 young people will take an apprenticeship.

“But Labour doesn’t just care about quantity, we care about quality too - completion rates have risen from 24% in 2001/02 to 63% in 06/07. The Tories never cared about quality. They never even measured completion rates. And they didn’t even have an inspection system. Now they are rigorously quality assured via OFSTED”

 28 April 2008