IMI - Call for delay to apprenticeship levy

As the CBI, EEF, Charity Finance Group and IoD ask the UK government to delay implementation of the apprenticeship levy*, IMI CEO, Steve Nash, adds his voice to the call.

Steve Nash said

“We wholeheartedly support the need for more people to take the apprenticeship route, and with the automotive retail sector facing a severe skills shortage, especially in technical roles, apprenticeships will continue to play a crucial role in in tackling this. “

“Whilst automotive has had a very long tradition of providing quality apprenticeship opportunities for young people, particularly in the technical disciplines, we operate in a hugely varied sector and apprenticeships are not common entry routes for all of our sub-sectors. Employers in those parts of the industry need more time to consider collectively what type of apprenticeships may be appropriate and beneficial to their businesses and then have the opportunity to put the specifications together. They should not be rushed into doing this by an artificially tight timescale, especially considering that many are still unclear about the government’s wide ranging and ongoing reforms to apprenticeships.”

“As the  Professional Body for the automotive industry the IMI would be delighted to engage with the government in order to help employers in our sector make apprenticeships an integral part of their wider recruitment strategy, covering a greater variety of roles than has traditionally been the case, as well as reaching into such areas as vehicle rental & leasing and fleet, for example, where there are large employers who will be subject to the levy on their payroll but for whom there are currently no suitable apprenticeships in existence or even planned.”

 “At the very least, delaying the implementation of the levy will ensure that employers, who are currently more preoccupied with the potential effects of Brexit, have the time to fully understand the implications for their own businesses.”

The IMI represents the £152 billion a year retail motor industry, which currently needs at least 12,000 apprentices a year to stand still.

*FT report – 25th July 2016