'Coffee-making apprenticeships' not fit-for-purpose: Ofsted

A third of providers were found not to be providing sufficient, high-quality training that ‘stretched’ apprentices and improved their capabilities.

The report from chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw, based upon inspections of 45 apprenticeship providers, contained observations of apprentices in the care, food, production and retail sectors, who were completing their apprenticeship by having existing low-level skills, such as making coffee, serving sandwiches or cleaning floors, accredited.

While the inspectorate acknowledges that activities such as making coffee are important to the everyday running of a business, it says that as apprenticeships they do not add enough ‘long-term value’ to individual companies or tackle skills shortages effectively.

The Government wants to create 3 million new apprenticeships by 2020. Sir Michael said these employers are 'abusing the trust placed in them' by apprentices.

According to the report, apprenticeships for students aged 25 and over run by employers in the care and retail sectors – where inspectors observed some of the weakest provision - were more likely to focus on accrediting existing skills to achieve the apprenticeship rather than developing substantive skills and advancing careers.  

In some cases, apprentices were unaware they were even on an apprenticeship.

In general, inspectors found that not enough small and medium-sized enterprises had apprentices.  Many were being put off taking on apprentices because of concerns about bureaucracy.

Recommendations include employers  ensuring that they do more than simply assess existing skills.

Launching the report at a speech to the CBI in the West Midlands, Her Majesty's chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said, 'Our report lays bare what many have long suspected. Despite the increase in numbers, very few apprenticeships are delivering the professional, up-to-date skills in the sectors that need them most. 

'Employers and providers involved in poor quality, low-level apprenticeships are wasting public funds. They are abusing the trust placed in them by Government and apprentices to deliver meaningful, high-quality training.

'We have won the argument over the value of apprenticeships. We have yet to make them a sought-after and valid alternative career choice for hundreds of thousands of young people.'

The report has prompted dismay from employers and business represenatives. Stewart Segal, chief executive of The Association for Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), which represents training providers who deliver over 70 per cent of apprenticeships in England, said, ‘All apprenticeship programmes cover a wide range of skills and it is unfortunate that Ofsted give the impression that there are programmes that consist of cleaning floors. Cleaning floors as part of an apprenticeship is not in our view low-level.’

David Hughes, chief executive of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) argued that the report isn’t representative of the sector as a whole, adding ‘I think it is out of order what Ofsted has done’.

Training manager at Busy Bees Training, Fay Gibbins, which provides apprenticeships, said, ‘To reputable training providers, Ofsted’s criticism of apprenticeships in the care sectors accrediting low skilled tasks including making coffee, are a hard pill to swallow and risk damaging the recognition and credibility apprenticeships are beginning to gain, which we’ve fought so hard to achieve.

‘Not all providers are the same and not all apprenticeship courses are created equal. This criticism has done nothing to promote apprenticeships as a real alternative to more traditional routes to further and higher education, but it’s right that the concerns have been raised.'