'Do not break something that isn’t broken,' West Midlands businesses and training providers urge amid fears vital management apprenticeship funding could be axed

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has launched a petition urging the government to listen to the country’s job-creators and protect management apprenticeships as changes to the Growth and Skills Levy are rolled out.

The campaign has been launched amid fears the government is looking at cutting funding for Level 3 to 6 management apprenticeships in favour of new, shorter courses for things like AI training - on top of having ended funding for Level 7 apprenticeships.

In just two weeks the petition has been signed by more than 4,300 people.

Representatives from companies and organisations across the West Midlands and Shropshire including Amari Metals in Wednesbury, Industrial Software Services Ltd in Birmingham, Civica which has an office in Dudley, Amey which has an office in Birmingham, Developing Managers Ltd in Solihull, Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, Aston University, Aston U STEM Education Trust Academy, Birmingham City University and Shropshire Fire and Rescue and Birmingham-headquartered National Express are among those that have signed the petition to date.

Rob Colbourne OBE, CEO of West Midlands based training provider Performance Through People, has described talk of possible cuts as "very worrying" - while leading outsourcing firm PP Control & Automation has highlighted why management apprenticeships are crucial for ambitious businesses wanting to invest in their staff.

Meanwhile CMI has warned any reduction in funding for management training could make it harder to solve the UK’s youth unemployment crisis - arguing that trained managers are essential to mentor and support young people in the workplace as 82 per cent of managers are 'accidental managers' - employees promoted into their roles without formal training - and many bosses lacking vital management skills struggle to support young staff starting out in their careers.

Ann Francke OBE, CEO of CMI, said: “Getting young people into work doesn't happen through policy commitments, it happens on the shop floor, in the office, and on the building site. Too often, a talented young person loses confidence and quits because their first boss didn't know how to manage them. To keep young people in the workforce, we have to train the people who lead them.”

CMI says management apprenticeships added £120 million to the UK economy in just one year and that one in four jobs currently in ‘high demand’ are management roles - and James Reed CBE, CEO and chair of the Reed Group and president-elect of CMI, added: “Cutting management training at a time when it should more obviously be expanded will short-change our economy”.

The organisation, the UK's chartered professional body for management and leadership, has stressed management training is not just a ‘nice to have’ and is urging the government to listen to employers.

Representatives from big businesses and organisations including BT Openreach, Capita, Center Parcs, G4S, Brown’s Hotel, Legal & General and a host of NHS trusts are among those who have signed the CMI’s petition, which calls on the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden, to protect all current management apprenticeship pathways - as well as offering new flexible short courses - so managers have the tools to drive productivity and create opportunities for the next generation.

A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “We are committed to creating an apprenticeships system that addresses the nation’s skills challenges head on and are simplifying it to give businesses the flexibility to develop the skills they need.

“We have been working intensively with business on the next stages of reform and will consider their feedback before making any decisions about changes to funding apprenticeship standards.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans in the Autumn Budget to simplify the apprenticeship system including streamlining the suite of apprenticeship standards available.

The government says its reforms, backed with £725 million of investment, are designed to tackle the sharp decline in apprenticeship starts among young people over the last decade – which it says have fallen by almost 40 per cent since 2015/16 - while delivering flexibilities for businesses.

CMI, however, has warned: “We must not "streamline" away the very leadership skills that drive productivity and support the next generation of workers.”

Rob Colbourne OBE, CEO of Performance Through People, said: "The language from government suggests 'prioritisation' or 'streamlining' - but for many in the sector 'rationing' feels like the more accurate term."

He said the sector has, over the past decade, been strongly encouraged to focus on Level 3 to Level 5 programmes and in many cases at the expense of Level 2 programmes that are critical for progression and inclusion and he told how employers are "fatigued" at constant reform - urging the government not to "break something that isn't broken".

"These standards do far more than develop individual managers; they strengthen leadership, improve strategic capability and deliver real value to junior staff who are mentored by supervisors undertaking Level 5 management qualifications," he said.

"At PTP, we currently have more than 200 individuals completing management qualifications, many at Level 5. The feedback is overwhelmingly positive, particularly on their improved ability to lead effectively, reduce costs and plan for the future.

"Pulling the plug on these programmes would destabilise the market, damage employers and ultimately create new problems for government.

"Leadership and management apprenticeships do not compete with opportunities for young people; they complement them. Employers are unlikely to recruit and invest in young talent if they lack confidence in their supervisors, line managers and team leaders—the very people who make up the majority of participants on leadership and management programmes.

"There is a crucial difference between refusing to stand still and changing for the sake of change. Employers, particularly SMEs, are fatigued by constant reform and ever-shifting rules that too often have a negative impact on their businesses. The message from the sector is simple: by all means evolve and improve, but do not break something that isn’t broken.

"A recent FE Week news report states ministers insist no decisions have been made yet on streamlining England’s suite of popular management courses, however, my 40 years’ experience in the sector tells me recommended means road to required and no decision made yet means it's on its way – very worrying for all."

Scott Ward, continuous improvement and training specialist at PP Control & Automation in Cheslyn Hay, said it's vital that management apprenticeships remain available to develop young talent.

The company, an award-winning provider of strategic outsourcing solutions, employs more than 200 people at its state-of-the-art facility in Staffordshire including 11 team leaders at Level 3 and two managers at Level 5.

Mr Ward said: "The Government’s review of apprenticeship funding is understandable, but cutting higher level management apprenticeships and a reduction in funded management pathways means fewer supported routes for our supervisors and aspiring leaders to acquire formal leadership qualifications.

“My own personal experience of completing a management apprenticeship gave me the core leadership skills and confidence I still rely on every day. We must protect management apprenticeships if we want a productive workforce and allow people the best opportunity to progress.

“Labour talks a lot about economic growth yet potentially are taking away some of the tools that would help businesses achieve their ambitions.

“We are exactly the type of company that the government says it is backing – operating in high tech environments, prepared to invest in our staff and actively want to take young talent and develop them. It would be nice if the funding matched the rhetoric.”