Apprenticeships need to be 'sold' properly says CBI boss

For the new National Apprenticeship Service to succeed, it needs to eliminate bureaucracy and sell apprenticeships to young people, Lambert said.

"Too often, inflexible apprenticeship frameworks fail to reflect the skills employers need. And businesses struggle under the weight of a plethora of different agencies and inspectors. This needs to change," he warned. 

"Employers will need a strong flow of high quality candidates to come forward. So we must arm young people with the guidance required to make well-informed decisions  at 16," he added.  

While praising improved exam results, the decrease in poorly performing schools and initiatives such as the diploma programme, Lambert  stressed that half of all employers are dissatisfied with school leavers' basic literacy and numeracy. 

"More than one in six school leavers are unable to read, write or add up properly," Lambert added. "Attitude also counts for a lot: I'm reminded of an inspirational school I visited in South London which has adopted the NASA motto: Attitude determines altitude. But nearly half of employers think young people lack a positive attitude to work and learning."

Strong links between schools and businesses are vital to changing this. The CBI is working with the National Council for Education Excellence and the Talent Map to produce a national framework for business engagement with schools.