The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has approved three ground breaking new apprenticeship standards in the aviation industry, developed by an aviation trailblazer, which was led by the Royal Navy and managed by workforce development charity, People 1st.
The announcement, unveiled last week by Prime Minister David Cameron, will see the roles of Aviation Ground Operator, Ground Specialist and Operations Manager offered under the new apprenticeship standards.
With the government committed to supporting three million apprenticeship starts by 2020, Minister for Skills, Nick Boles, welcomed the announcement, explaining, “Businesses are better placed than anyone to train the next generation of workers and will help us deliver 3 million high-quality apprenticeships by 2020. By designing apprenticeships, organisations like People 1st and the employers they work in partnership with are ensuring that young talented people develop the skills needed to progress up the career ladder and help drive businesses forward.”
Annette Allmark, director of strategic policy at People 1st echoed the skills minister’s comments saying, “This is yet another extremely positive development in the evolution of apprenticeships for aviation. Stakeholders from across the industry have worked tirelessly to see these new standards achieve government approval. By putting the control firmly in the hands of employers to design and execute these high quality apprenticeships they will empower their workforce through skills and knowledge that will improve both productivity and retention.”
Graham Martin – TDTM (Air Warfare), Royal Navy which led the aviation trailblazer, added, “We’re delighted to see these first three standards approved and know that this is only just the beginning. Apprentices have an integral role to play in the success of organisations, and it’s time to spread the word far and wide, so those who aren’t yet feeling the benefit can gear up for these new, more robust standards. We can’t wait to see our first apprentices go through the new process and come out the other side with the skills needed to succeed in this fantastic industry.”
Apprenticeships can play a critical role in developing a pipeline of staff and increasing productivity, through creating a more loyal workforce with lower staff turnover. Employers should get in contact with People 1st today to find out how they can benefit.