Nearly half of ICT firms planning to take on apprentices

Vince Cable claims employers increasingly recognising value of apprenticeships

Almost a half (46 per cent) of IT and telecoms firms plan to take on apprentices in the next five years, with nearly a quarter (24 per cent) intending to do so in the next 12 months.

Or at least that's according to figures released today to mark the start of National Apprenticeship Week.

The study, which saw 600 businesses in England quizzed, also found that 46 per cent of IT and telecoms firms, and 43 per cent of all employers, felt they would be more likely to offer an apprenticeship than they were two years ago.

A fifth (20 per cent) of SMEs plan to take on apprentices in the next 12 months, compared with 37 per cent of larger businesses, the study added.

Meanwhile, 19 per cent of IT and telecoms said they had been quizzed about their stance on recruiting apprentices by clients or prospects.

"As we kick off National Apprenticeship Week it's good to see that employers are increasingly recognising the value apprentices can bring to their businesses," said Vince Cable, secretary of state for Business, Innovation and Skills. "Apprentices are now a key and valued part of the workforce for most businesses large or small - and the huge increase which this Government has overseen is one of my proudest achievements.

Cable added: "Given the grants available to help small businesses take on apprentices, it's especially good that so many SMEs are embracing apprenticeships in the coming years and that apprentice recruitment now forms a key part of a businesses' plans for sustainable growth."

Although these findings may seem encouraging, recent figures suggest that demand for apprenticeships in the ICT sector is dramatically outstripping supply, with every vacancy now attracting an average of 20 applicants. Vacancies in the sector rose by 13 per cent the three months to October 2013 but this was far outstripped by the 42 per cent hike in applications made during the period.