APP0056

 


Written evidence submitted by the National Theatre
 

  1. The National Theatre is dedicated to making the very best theatre and sharing it with as many people as possible. We stage up to 30 productions at our South Bank home each year, ranging from re-imagined classics – such as Greek tragedy and Shakespeare – to modern masterpieces and new work by contemporary writers and theatre-makers. The work we make strives to be as open, as diverse, as collaborative and as national as possible. Much of that new work is researched and developed at the NT Studio: we are committed to nurturing innovative work from new writers, directors, creative artists and performers. Equally, we are committed to education, with a wide-ranging Learning programme for all ages in our new Clore Learning Centre and in schools and communities across the UK.
  2. The National's work is also seen on tour throughout the UK and internationally, and in collaborations and co-productions with regional theatres. Popular shows transfer to the West End and occasionally to Broadway; and through the National Theatre Live programme, we broadcast live performances to 2,000 cinemas in 50 countries around the world. From September 2015, National Theatre: On Demand in Schools will make three acclaimed, curriculum-linked productions free to stream on demand in every secondary school in the country. Online, the NT offers a rich variety of innovative digital content on every aspect of theatre.

 

  1. We do all we can to keep ticket prices affordable and to reach a wide audience, and use our public funding to maintain artistic risk-taking, accessibility and diversity.

 

  1. The National Theatre has been involved in delivering modern apprenticeships since 2012. We offer tailor-made, high-quality apprenticeships in backstage theatre craft and support areas, such as Lighting, Prop Making, Scenic Carpentry, Event Management, IT and Marketing.  We have a very high level of completion and our post apprenticeship employment record is close to 100%

 

Executive Summary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The target of three million apprentices by 2020, how the Government proposes to achieve this and how this may affect the 'skills gap'
 

  1.                        Although we are categorized as a large employer, our workforce consists of a number of small departments with specialized roles within them.  It is therefore not feasible for us to take on more than one or two apprentices in each area at any one time. 
  2.                        We carefully choose which departments should take apprentices, ensuring that future employability prospects are very good. We are concerned that if a high number of apprenticeships is to become the benchmark, we may quickly reach a situation where there are not enough jobs for all apprentices.  This is already to some degree the case for Drama School and University Drama degree Graduates.
  3.                        Our high-quality apprenticeships are focused on employability. We fear that the demands of the drive to recruit three million apprentices will require us to take on more apprentices without additional resource. We will then not have the capacity to support them in the way we wish to. Thus quality may well be diluted by quantity and the apprentices may be less likely to be employable on completion of their apprenticeship.

 

The proposal for an apprenticeships levy and how this may be implemented
 

  1.    Due to small and specialist craft-based departments and a focus on quality of experience and employability, we can only put one or at most two apprentices into a department at any one time and do not therefore have the capacity to take on the number of apprentices necessary to offset our levy contribution.
  2.    If we were to take on multiple apprentices into our teams we are concerned that there would not be genuine employment opportunities for every one of them post-apprenticeship.
  3. Our original impetus for offering apprenticeships was the pressing need to diversify our mostly graduate work force rather than a skills shortage. We have therefore chosen not to be bound by funding rules, and have taken on apprentices who are over 25, or who may have made the wrong educational or life choice previously, making them ineligible for funding.  Our contribution to the Apprenticeship Levy will put a significant strain on our ability to offer anything that is not directly fundable through the levy. This will prevent us taking on apprentices who do not fulfil funding criteria and thus we will be putting barriers to entry back in place.

 

  1. As it is likely that we will not reclaim all of our levy contribution, we would prefer that this money stayed within our sector, and in particular that it be used to help the many SMEs, Micro businesses and freelancers within the Creative Sector, who currently struggle to support apprentices.

 

  1. Given the wide variety of sectors represented in the creative industries and within our own organisation (from technical, engineering and craft roles to performance and white-collar professions) we believe that the Apprenticeships Levy should be made available to support employees through a wider range of professional qualifications equivalent to apprenticeships at level 4 and above.  Examples would include supporting an employee from apprentice level through to professional qualifications in accountancy, IT, Marketing or health and safety, or an MA or Diploma in Cultural Management. This means age restrictions on fundable training need to be lifted.
  2.    Our apprentices receive comprehensive additional support and training, such as mentoring, courses in “soft skills” and personal development, attending networking events with apprentices from other employers, and work placements with relevant companies.  It would be very helpful if levy funds could be used to cover the costs of some of these activities, such as travel, accommodation and training plus the admin costs around these. If not, we may be forced to withdraw these additional embellishments.

 

The institutional architecture of current provision and how this may be affected by the proposed Institute for Apprenticeships
 

  1.   We are concerned that such widespread, simultaneous reform of both funding and frameworks/standards will prove very challenging to employers and may discourage SMEs and sole traders, who make up a large percentage of the Creative and Cultural Sector, from taking on apprentices.
  2.    Our workforce is specialised and there are many, many different job roles within the sector. The current apprenticeship pathways are adaptable enough to enable us to match one pathway to several different job roles.  The new standards narrow each apprenticeship to very specific job roles.  We simply do not have the capacity to create a standard for every job role within the creative sector. It is therefore likely that standards will not be created for niche, and craft based skills, which will therefore disappear.
  3. These craft based apprenticeships have proved among the most successful apprenticeships we have run and have usefully met genuine skills gaps in our industry as well as diversifying the profession.
  4.    Whilst we appreciate that the creation of Higher Level apprenticeships will help raise the status of apprenticeships amongst parents, we are concerned that the current focus on level 4 and above will erode provision at level’s 2 and 3, which are vital tools in our efforts to diversify our sector’s workforce and provide entry level routes into a sector which has previously relied heavily on graduates.
  5.    We are participating in trailblazing new apprenticeship standards for our sector, and whilst this is rewarding, it is time consuming and relatively complex. In a sector made up largely of SME’s and freelancers, it will become increasingly difficult to get employers to participate, which may lead to a situation where there just aren’t appropriate standards in place  for all the job roles we need them for.
  6.    Regarding training: the freedom to purchase what we consider to be relevant, practical and professional training would be very welcome, but we are unclear what role Ofsted would play in this.
  7.    Our apprentices (and staff) currently participate in in-house and specialist training, outside of their framework, but this training is not currently eligible for funding. We believe it would be a valuable use of the apprenticeship levy if a wider range of vocational qualifications could be accessed using funds from the levy. Examples would include the NEBOSH certificate in Occupational Health and Safety, which is a core element of our successful entry level training position in Safety Risk Management or PASMA training, which our Technical Theatre apprentices are given as an extra qualification.  
  8.    It is currently very difficult to match up relevant frameworks and learning providers, so if this can be simplified by the Digital Apprenticeship Service that would be very useful.
  9.    Similarly, if the Institute for Apprenticeships can simplify the systems surrounding apprenticeships that will help employers.
  10.    However, we are concerned that the creation of this new infrastructure might siphon off funds which would preferably be spent supporting SMEs and micro businesses into apprenticeships. 
  11.    We are also concerned that there may be a knowledge drain, if those who have been involved with apprenticeships previously are not successfully integrated into the IfA.

 

Take-up of apprenticeships amongst 16–19 year olds and steps that can be taken to make more young people aware of available opportunities
 

  1. It is important that apprenticeships be represented to parents and careers advisers as a valid a route to employment.  Equivalent recognition for schools whose students achieve apprenticeship places as those who get university places is vital.

The process of applying for apprenticeships
 

  1. It is important that this remains flexible.  Employers should be able to recruit directly if they wish, but employers should also be able to be supported in recruitment by the Learning Providers.

 

  1. A single, easily found, and easily searchable online space where all apprenticeships are advertised is imperative.

 

Routes for progression to higher qualifications for current apprentices
 

  1. Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships in the Creative and Cultural sector tend to lead to entry level employment rather than further study.  Traditionally, progression through the sector has been via on the job and professional training. 

 

  1. Therefore there are relatively few higher level apprenticeship frameworks appropriate to this sector.  A large number of higher level standards will therefore have to be created before they can be delivered, leading to a potential gap between demand and supply.

 

 

The quality of, and minimum standards for, apprenticeships, and how standards can be enforced

 

  1. We imagine that industry will need to train assessors to ensure that standards are maintained.  Again, it may take time before there are enough assessors to meet demand and there is a cost implication for employers, both financially and in time away from work.

 

 

March 2016