Manufacturers back traineeships

More than 100 employers - among them the folding bike manufacturer Brompton Bicycle - have committed to being part of the traineeships programme and more are being encouraged to sign up. Announcing the scheme's launch, skills minister Matthew Hancock said the delivery framework which set out how traineeships would work took on board the views of more than 450 responses to the traineeships discussion paper published in January. The traineeships would, he said: * Provide work preparation training such as interview preparation and CV writing. * Offer training in English and maths. * Include a high-quality work placement (between six weeks and five months). * Last a maximum of six months. * Include training from providers who are rated "Outstanding" or "Good" by Ofsted to ensure a high-quality programme. Brompton Bicycle MD Will Butler-Adams said: "We face considerable skills shortages in our sector, particularly in specialist areas like brazing and design. The newly announced traineeships will, we hope, provide us with a highly practical route to promote these occupations to young people and offer them a very practical opportunity to learn the basics before progressing to a full Apprenticeship."