Skillset : Aims to Help Small Creative Businesses PR

Business secretary Vince Cable today announced that Skillset will direct incentive payments of up to ₤1,500 to 500 small firms taking on their first apprentice.

Skillset will make the Government payments available to Creative Industries employers with less than 250 staff.

Dr Cable made the announcement at the launch of the fifth annual National Apprenticeship Week at Channel Four in London this morning (Monday, 6 February).

Secretary of State Vince Cable with Fashion Enter’s Apprentices

The event was attended by apprentices and representatives from the throughout the Creative Industries – including Channel Four itself, the BBC, Asos.com, Shed Media, MPG Media and McCann Manchester. Many of these businesses have apprentices under the Skillset Apprenticeships in Creative & Digital Media and Fashion Textiles.

The Government and Creative Industries Council recently endorsed Skillset to lead a drive to help more companies in the sector take on apprentices in partnership with the National Apprenticeships Service (NAS). This will include promotional campaign to raise the profile of apprenticeships in the creative industries.

Vince Cable said: ″Apprenticeships are at the centre of the Government’s skills policy because we know that they work. Not only do they provide individuals with the skills they need for prosperous and rewarding careers, they also boost businesses’ profits and drive growth in the wider economy″.

″I’m pleased that the Creative Industries recognize this and we support all the work they are doing to increase the number of apprenticeships in the sector, particularly in small businesses″.

″We are providing extra help to enable small employers to hire their first apprentices. We will also continue to develop new advanced and higher-level apprenticeships to deliver the world-class skills individuals and firms need to get ahead.″

Simon Ward, Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the British Fashion Council with a Fashion Enter Apprentice

Chief executive of Channel Four and Skillset board member, David Abraham, said: ″Apprenticeships are a fantastic and innovate way for creative employers to develop the fresh talent they need to continue driving growth, while at the same time improving diversity and fair access to out industries.″

″As endorsed by the Creative Industries Council just last month, now is the time for the whole sector to embrace apprenticeships as a key entry route to our industries, helping to address our business needs. This is why we so warmly welcome the partnership between Skillset and NAS to drive this work forward.″

Additional Initiatives to boost apprenticeships in the creative industries include:

•  Skillset, supported by significant investment from NAS, will assist the industries to establish group training approaches to allow businesses in creative & digital media and fashion textiles to share training resources and manage apprentices collectively.
• New frameworks for higher apprenticeships (up to degree-level equivalent) to meet the skills needs essential to drive growth. Skillset will work with more than 300 businesses, delivering an initial 500 apprenticeships. The first places are set to be offered in September 2012.

Simon Ward (COO for the British Fashion Council) with Kelly Love, designer and Garment Technologist for ASOS.com, Sam Beard and Alfie Fallcnoer, who are Fashion Enter Apprentices

For more information contact

Skillset press and PR officer Nick Sheridan: 0207 713 9854 or 0754 206 9110. nicks@skillset.org