Agenda item

Philip Wright (Head of Community Learning and Skills) introduced the report setting out the progress made in the development of a shared community learning and skills service with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

The Panel discussed:

• the importance of partner engagement, and the excellent relationships that had been developed across the two boroughs with providers of this service;
• the need to increase the number of apprentices employed by Slough Borough Council or through its sub-contractors to set the right example to other employers in the borough.  The apprenticeships should not just be in business administration but provide broader opportunities for trade skills and other key growing sectors; and
• that the City Deal would provide additional impetus to the ASPIRE programme, with a focus on apprenticeships for NEETs.

RECOMMENDED – that the Cabinet commission a piece of work to investigate the options for increasing the number of apprentices employed by the council and/or its sub-contractors and report back to the Education and Children’s Services Scrutiny Panel on proposals in six months.