The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has approved three new apprenticeship standards in the bus, coach and heavy vehicle industry, developed by the bus and coach Trailblazer, led by Arriva UK Bus and supported by workforce development charity, People 1st.
The announcement, unveiled last week by Prime Minister David Cameron, will see the roles of Bus and Coach Engineering Technician, Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician and Bus and Coach Engineering Manager, offered under the new apprenticeship standards.
With the government committed to supporting three million apprenticeship starts by 2020, Nick Boles, Minister for Skills, welcomed the announcement. He said: “Businesses are better placed than anyone to train the next generation of workers and will help us deliver three million high-quality apprenticeships by 2020.
“By designing apprenticeships, organisations like People 1st and the employers they work in partnership with are ensuring that young talented people develop the skills needed to progress up the career ladder and help drive businesses forward.”
Lloyd Mason, Engineering Development Manager for Arriva UK Bus and Chairman of the Trailblazer group, added: “These apprenticeship standards really do represent a new dawn in the development of our best emerging talent, employers from the bus and coach and HGV sectors have worked hard to develop these standards and are rightly proud of achievements to date.
“The group will now start work on the assessment plan and invite employers not yet involved to be part of it, and urge others who have yet to engage with apprenticeships to take a second look – as it could be the smartest business decision you make all year.”
Annette Allmark, director of strategic policy at People 1st, said: “This is yet another extremely positive development in the evolution of apprenticeships for bus, coach and heavy vehicles.
“Stakeholders from across the industry have worked tirelessly to see these new standards achieve government approval. By putting the control firmly in the hands of employers to design and execute these high quality apprenticeships they will empower their workforce through skills and knowledge that will improve both productivity and retention.”
