04 March 2005
Red tape could derail government plans to send disaffected young people out into the workplace to acquire new skills and motivation, business leaders have warned.
The education and skills white paper, published last week, proposed sending 14 to 16-year-olds with problems such as low attainment and poor behaviour out on work experience for two days a week.
The scheme is to be piloted next year and the Department for Education and Skills hopes to open it up to 10,000 young people from 2007/08.
But business chiefs, while keen to be seen as co-operating, are concerned that details of the initiative are ill-defined. Richard Wainer, policy adviser in the CBI's skills employment group, told Public Finance that too much bureaucracy could deter employers from participating fully and many details needed to be clarified.
'The white paper is vague on specifics. Business will support putting a pathway down for young people but the practical aspects – how it's going to be implemented, legal obligations – really need to be drawn out,' he said.
Alice Rigby, policy development officer at the Federation of Small Businesses, echoed Wainer's concerns. She said many small firms were keen to take on student placements but added that liability insurance and criminal records checks could be prohibitively expensive. 'Some small businesses cannot afford to take the risk,' she said.
Rigby added: 'We'd like to see some assistance for small businesses so they're aware of what is expected of them.
'Quite often kids are sent off without any guidance [for businesses] about what skills they are expected to develop.'
A DfES spokesman told PF that details of the scheme were still being worked out. He added: 'The proposals provide a real opportunity for employers to play a part in creating an education system which delivers the skills and experience they require.
'In taking forward the reform programme, we will continue to work closely with employers and other partners to address the practical issues which they will have,' he said.
PFmar2005
