WMCA signs up to TUC Apprenticeship Charter
Published: Tuesday 23 Jul 2019
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has signed the TUC's Apprenticeship Charter.
WMCA chief executive Deborah Cadman OBE signed the Charter alongside Lee Barron, regional secretary of the TUC, at the WMCA's head offices in Birmingham this week.
The Charter reaffirms WMCA's commitment to provide high-quality apprenticeships.
WMCA chief executive Deborah Cadman OBE with Lee Barron, Midlands regional secretary for the TUC, after signing the Apprenticeship Charter
Deborah Cadman said: I'm delighted to sign the Apprenticeship Charter, on behalf of the WMCA, which underlines our commitment to provide high-quality, meaningful apprenticeships.
We have committed to pay our apprentices above the minimum apprenticeship wage, to use apprenticeships wherever possible to upskill our staff, and to hire apprentices to complement our workforce, rather than supplement it. Signing the Apprenticeships Charter furthers that commitment.
This is one of a number of TUC charters that we have signed up to - and we will continue to work closely with the TUC to ensure we are offering the best possible opportunities and experiences for our staff
The TUC's/unionlearn's said its partnership with the WMCA indicates a desire to promote high-quality apprenticeship programmes. The Apprenticeship Charter covers pay, job role, health and safety, terms and conditions, training and skills, as well as access to trade union support.
Lee Barron said: Apprenticeships provide a great opportunity to ensure high skill standards.
The Charter builds on the WMCA's high-quality commitment to providing decent rights and access to training throughout workers' careers
Mark Rowe, unionlearn's apprenticeships officer said: Trade unions have always supported apprenticeships. We see this Charter as a key component of our strategy in upskilling and reskilling the workforce and strengthens the, already-excellent, partnership we have with the WMCA - which was established when working together on the National Retraining Scheme Career Learning Pilot
The Charter serves a dual purpose for the union movement. Firstly, it provides assurances to both young workers entering the world of work for the first time, as well as older existing workers, that they will receive a quality job and the skills to aid a long career. Secondly, it also provides a model for individual unions to take to employers to help secure better rights and training for their members.