ALMOST 12,600 people have started a modern apprenticeship since April, figures show – but a leading union claims many in the public sector do not expect such posts to lead to a permanent job.

The latest figures from Skills Development Scotland (SDS) show 12,588 learners began a modern apprenticeship between April and September, three quarters of whom were aged 16-to-24.The Scottish Government aims to get 26,000 people into these programmes – which include healthcare, financial services, construction and IT – by the end of the year, rising to 30,000 by 2020.

Employability and Training Minister Jamie Hepburn hailed the latest figure, saying: “Modern apprenticeships offer young people better career prospects, have a positive impact on business and industry, and bring value to both employers and the economy.

“They also offer valuable support for vulnerable groups and the long-term unemployed, including those with disabilities and health conditions.

“We have a strong track record in delivering against our ambitious targets to increase the number of modern apprenticeship starts available and these figures show that, despite drastic budget cuts imposed by the UK government, we are continuing to see good progress.

“It is particularly pleasing to note the increasing number of modern apprentices working in construction, where we are developing skills and opportunities to support this vital sector into the future.”

However, the figures were released as the Unison union published its own study into public sector apprenticeships, which found 35 per cent of those taking part rated their chances of gaining a permanent position are unknown or unlikely.

Some of the councils and health boards surveyed were said to “ignore the modern apprenticeship model completely”, only considering those on “more traditional” craft-based placements as apprentices.

Aberdeen City Council, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Ayrshire and Arran were found to have kept on 100 per cent of apprentices as staff at the end of the training programmes.

However, the figure was far lower in many cases, dropping to just seven per cent in NHS Grampian and the union says insecurity is a “serious issue” in the public sector.Meanwhile, gender segregation remains “a real problem”, with women “almost completely absent” from courses such as construction or mechanics.

Dave Watson, Unison’s head of policy and public affairs, said: “Apprentices play a vital role in delivering public services and it is vital we invest in them.

“They provide employers with skilled workers who have relevant, job-specific skills for their organisation and can deliver value even before they are finally qualified.

“Job insecurity is a major issue for apprentices and has left swathes of young men and women facing an uncertain future.

“While there are examples of good practice among employers offering permanent employment upon completion of apprenticeships, generally the track record is very poor. Apart from the obvious unfairness to the trainees, it represents a very poor use of resources.

“There also needs to be urgent action taken to tackle gender segregation in the workplace. While this will require action by employers, the real work tackling this will need to be done in schools and by a proactive careers service outlining a greater range of options than are currently perceived to be available.

“Developing skills and increasing access to quality training is crucial to the future success of Scotland’s economy. Recently trained workers must be valued for their potential rather than seen as a pool of temporary workers easily hired and fired.”

Katie Hutton, director of national training programmes at SDS, said: “Apprenticeships allow individuals to earn a wage and gain industry-recognised qualifications, while supporting employers to develop a skilled workforce for the future.”