The apprenticeship level is tied to the job, not your academic achievements.
Some companies, such as Mercedes, Siemens and Daimler, have offered refugees pre-training programmes that would prepare them for entry at the apprenticeship level.
It means that a young person entering at apprenticeship level can rise through the ranks from an enriched care practitioner to fully qualified nurse specialising in the care of older people, rather than being poached by the local supermarket for higher pay.
Students wishing to pursue their studies at the end of their courses will have the option of moving onto the next NVQ or apprenticeship level, while the company has guaranteed everyone an interview when their course concludes.
Over 70% in both arms have a health care card (i.e. government coverage of health care costs for those with inadequate income), over half are dependent on a pension or benefit (e.g. single-parent support), over half have only completed either apprenticeship level, year 12 education or below and while most are Australian citizens, over a third are born overseas.
To be effective, the new levy – the details of which will be unveiled in the autumn – should form the basis of a new funding mechanism that supports training above and beyond apprenticeships at level 2. Such a funding mechanism, supported by employers, would give technical and professional education a strong voice in the education system for the first time.
Apprenticeships at level 3 and above are still a relatively small part of overall provision (see Fig. 4).
Employers providing relatively low-cost apprenticeships at level 2 also pointed out they had limited scope to look to the long-term benefits.
Frampton says the carrot of no longer having to pay VAT by becoming an academy (colleges, being companies, have a VAT obligation) wouldn't compensate for the loss of income from apprenticeships, higher-level qualifications and adult education.
It is also creating more higher-value apprenticeships at levels 4 to 7 in a range of professions, from accountancy to people management and financial services, so that more young people can acquire degree, postgraduate level and professional qualifications while they are earning.
Accumulated modules lead to a partial qualification below the apprenticeship qualification level.
