GUERNSEY is lagging behind the UK in its provision of apprenticeships. Warwickshire education officer and Education Department adviser Sue Hawthorne said that a lack of employer support had prevented the expansion of local schemes to school children.

But discussions have begun on mirroring the UK move for so-called student apprenticeships for 14-year-olds.

And Mrs Hawthorne believed Guernsey would be well placed to take advantage because of the community ties of organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce.

‘Guernsey currently has a very traditional form of apprenticeship system and has not started to move forward like the UK to developing a broader system,’ said Mrs Hawthorne.

‘But to progress, schools need the support of employers – which has been lacking so far.’

In Guernsey, 14-year-olds can choose to study a link course in a subject such as business, retail, hairdressing, carpentry, childcare and tourism. These courses are offered by the College of Further Education in conjunction with the island’s secondary schools and allow the students to work towards a nationally-recognised qualification.

These are vocational courses but full apprenticeships can be taken up only through the college once a student has left school and works for an employer.

The UK has a similar system but student apprenticeships are now to be made available for those at school. In an attempt to cut the number of unskilled workers, pupils will spend time at school learning about a profession, undertake a course through a local college and also spend one day a week at a place of work.

Local education officials are discussing a similar system in Guernsey as part of proposals for change to the 14-19 curriculum.

‘We realise that at 14, not everybody is ready for GCSEs because people develop at different rates and have different interests – so we are looking at expanding the curriculum choice for students,’ said College of Further Education principal Trevor Wakefield.

‘We are investigating how best 14 and 15-year-olds at school can take vocational training and gain real-life experience through the college and an employer.’

Both Mr Wakefield and Mrs Hawthorne stressed how learning about a trade at 14 would mean students would already have basic skills when they started a full apprenticeship. But he warned that employers had to understand that younger students would require a structured programme to improve their knowledge.