Government has announced further plans to boost the take-up of apprenticeships in Britain.

It hopes to encourage companies to introduce the schemes by making it easier for them to set up more relevant apprenticeships. Under new plans, there will be a pilot wage subsidy programme for small businesses, to make it more attractive for firms to offer places. The public sector will be especially targeted.

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills predicts that 20% of all young people will be undertaking an apprenticeship with the next decade.

While the TUC commends government strategy, it does believe that the issue of pay is being overlooked.

Although the poorest paid apprentices are now protected from the worst ravages of exploitation by an 80 wage floor, this has not increased since August 2005. Rising prices mean this is effectively a pay cut, says TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber. The Government could further boost the quality of apprenticeships, make them more attractive to young people and improve completion rates by increasing the wage floor to 110. This would bring apprenticeship pay broadly into line with the minimum wage for 16-17 year olds.

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