The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has welcomed proposals by the Public Accounts Committee for the Government to develop 'quality apprenticeships'.

In a recent report, the PAC said the apprenticeship training programme "involves more than just increasing apprentice numbers".

With a target of creating three million new apprenticeships by 2020, the Committee recommended the Department of Education (DoE) should regularly report on a broader range of success measures for the programme, both at local and national level.

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Sarah McMonagle, Director of External Affairs at the FMB, said it is now up to Ministers whether to either honour their pledge to create quality apprenticeships or "allow themselves to be consumed by the need to hit targets".

"The Public Accounts Committee emphasises strongly the need for the Government to be unrelenting in its focus on quality apprenticeships and this is absolutely key," she said.

"While the temptation may exist to water down apprenticeship standards in order to hit the three million target, this would smack of short termism and ultimately be counterproductive.

"Unless we act now to increase quality, people will continue to look down their noses at vocational training when it should be viewed with the same respect as other forms of further education such as university degrees.

"This is the only way to increase numbers and reach our apprenticeship targets we need in the longer term."

(LM)