Infozone: the briefing – 27/08/10

APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME LAUNCHED

People 1st, the hospitality sector skills council, has launched a new apprenticeship scheme.

Available to businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it incorporates 18 specialist areas, including Asian and oriental cuisine, pâtisserie and confectionery.

In addition, a kitchen service route suitable for branded high street restaurants, branded contract catering outlets and licensed retail operations has been made available.

The new apprenticeship, which aims to offer employers flexibility on delivery, can be embedded within an organisation's in-house training scheme, while apprentices can progress in their own time or location with an option for online training and assessment.

Martin-Christian Kent, director of policy and research at People 1st, said: "We now have a robust and versatile system that meets individual business needs. This should prove even more attractive to businesses as they provide the perfect vehicle to tackle specific skills gaps and develop and mould their own staff.

"In fact, 80% of businesses employing apprentices report that it has made them more competitive and reduced staff turnover."

EQUAL PAY IS STILL 47 YEARS AWAY

Equal pay for women is still more than five decades away at current rates, according to a report published by XpertHR and the Chartered Management Institute.

The 2010 National Management Salary Survey shows that female salaries increased by 2.8% over the past 12 months, compared to 2.3% for men. However, with the average UK salary for a male manager currently £10,071 more than that of a female manager, women face a 57-year wait before their take-home pay is equal to that of their male colleagues.