The objective was clear from the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement that productivity is the key to success as we enter a prolonged spell of austerity. It was suggested over the next five years that we must boost skills and productivity by 30 per cent. Based on a recent National Audit Office report ‘Delivering the value through apprenticeship reform’, it also estimates that Germany, France and the USA are each about a third more productive than the UK”. With the news that the UK l

The spending review announced that the expected amount of money the apprenticeship levy is expected to raise each year by 2019/20 has dropped by £200m since it was first announced. The Treasury predicted in last year’s autumn statement that the levy would raise £3bn in the financial year 2019/20, but forecasts released by the government now give a projected figure of £2.8bn in 2019/20. The levy is now not expected to raise £3bn a year until 2021/22 – a full two years later th

The government has announced that it is devolving the adult education budget to London. It said: “The government remains committed to devolving powers to support local areas to address productivity barriers. We will devolve the AEB to London from 2019-20 (subject to readiness conditions).” It added: “The government will continue to work with London to explore further devolution of powers over the coming months.” This announcement gives rise to a great many questions, one of w

In 2015/16, the total number of people undertaking an apprenticeship stood at 904,800, more than ever, with 509,400 beginning over the course of the 12 month period. Apprenticeships have a critical role to play, not only in furnishing young people with important skills, but also in developing a highly skilled and productive workforce that underpins economic prosperity. British workers are presently 30% less productive than those in France and Germany; whilst the CBI’s annual

The national minimum wage for apprentices will rise from £3.40 per hour to £3.50 – a bigger increase than rates for most other groups – following the autumn statement. It is higher than most other minimum wage rate increases: for 18 to 20 year olds, the increase is from £5.55 per hour to £5.60 for 16 to 17 year olds – it will go up from £4.00 per hour to £4.05 for 21 to 24 year olds, it is going up from £6.95 per hour to £7.05 With the government’s pledge to increase apprenti

Life-blood of commerce in the City of London for Lord mayors show. 500 years for Royal Mail and for the Carmen, transport livery and boys in red entered floats at the head of the parade celebrating the new Lord Mayor of the city of London. 150 floats in total, 200 horse and 7000 people in the parade to showcase all things city of London, transport as its life blood to commerce to the new Lord Mayor, Alderman Andrew Parmley. Transport in red as the Royal Mail featured in parad

It is no surprise that the arrival of winter means it gets a bit chilly and that driving might be a little less fun and a bit more hazardous. We just can’t control the weather despite all our best efforts. Thankfully, there are some things we can control to keep us safe over winter while we are out and about on the road. Here are a few things you should keep in mind to prepare you and your vehicle for the winter months. Check that the screen wash contains sufficient water and

A great many words have been shared about the driver shortage and what we need to do to combat it. In recent months, the conversation has continued within the industry and in Whitehall as the enormity of the problem becomes increasingly apparent. The Transport Committee published its Fourth Report, Skills and Workforce Planning the Road Haulage Sector, on 29th July and the Government’s response was received on 6th October. The Committee has drawn several conclusions about the

The world of apprenticeships is changing, and all because of the ‘levy’. So, why has the levy been introduced and what is it? What will it mean for you as an employer? Why has a ‘levy’ been introduced? • The government has committed to 3 million apprenticeship starts by summer 2020 • Their mechanism of choice is the Apprenticeship Levy • It will commence 6 April 2017 • It is aimed at putting control of organisational learning an

System Group, Transport for London, the DWP and the Department for Education were at the Institute of Couriers Heads of Industry fellows round table event on 18th October 2016. It was a full house, sharing best practice and putting the industry’s issues to the table. The event opened with a transport style bacon butty lunch where like-minded teams could network, focussing on key express issues. IOC Chair, Carl Lomas MBE, opened with introductions - City Sprint, Hermes, DPD, G