Miliband proposals on apprentices ‘a bit light on detail’
23 September 2013
The Labour Party leader Ed Miliband has suggested that large employers be forced to take on an apprentice whenever they hired a highly skilled migrant from outside the EU.
Mon, 23 Sep 2013The Labour Party leader Ed Miliband has suggested that large employers be forced to take on an apprentice whenever they hired a highly skilled migrant from outside the EU.
Ahead of Labour's annual conference starting in Brighton today, Miliband told the BBC that this would be included in an immigration bill that he will introduce during his government's first year in power, should the Labour Party win the next General Election.
Miliband also pledged to crack down on exploitation of foreign workers that he said was leading to undercutting of wages of existing UK workers.
The head of resourcing at a large manufacturing company, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells Recruiter that the idea is “a bit light on detail”.
He adds that his company’s main difficulty is with the current system, and in particular in obtaining visas for highly-skilled IT staff.
“I would be delighted to take on an apprentice, if we could find a highly skilled migrant in the first place,” he adds.
The CBI attacked the idea. “This is an apprentices tax on employers and job creation,” says John Longworth, chairman of its retailing panel.
Tom Hadley, Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) director of policy and professional services, says: "Employers need support to tackle the immediate skills shortages that are acting as a barrier to growth and for many this means employing skilled overseas workers. Adding further red tape to the employment process could jeopardise the progress of the jobs market."
Ahead of Labour's annual conference starting in Brighton today, Miliband told the BBC that this would be included in an immigration bill that he will introduce during his government's first year in power, should the Labour Party win the next General Election.
Miliband also pledged to crack down on exploitation of foreign workers that he said was leading to undercutting of wages of existing UK workers.
The head of resourcing at a large manufacturing company, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells Recruiter that the idea is “a bit light on detail”.
He adds that his company’s main difficulty is with the current system, and in particular in obtaining visas for highly-skilled IT staff.
“I would be delighted to take on an apprentice, if we could find a highly skilled migrant in the first place,” he adds.
The CBI attacked the idea. “This is an apprentices tax on employers and job creation,” says John Longworth, chairman of its retailing panel.
Tom Hadley, Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) director of policy and professional services, says: "Employers need support to tackle the immediate skills shortages that are acting as a barrier to growth and for many this means employing skilled overseas workers. Adding further red tape to the employment process could jeopardise the progress of the jobs market."
