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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Sugar in apprentice rallying call | Sugar in apprentice rallying call |
| (2 days later) | |
| Sir Alan Sugar has said employers and schools must change their attitude towards apprenticeships. | Sir Alan Sugar has said employers and schools must change their attitude towards apprenticeships. |
| He made the comments on a visit to Gateshead, days after being offered the role of government enterprise tsar. | He made the comments on a visit to Gateshead, days after being offered the role of government enterprise tsar. |
| The star of BBC TV's The Apprentice, where he uses the catchphrase "You're fired", met trainees and employers at the town's Lancastrian Suite. | The star of BBC TV's The Apprentice, where he uses the catchphrase "You're fired", met trainees and employers at the town's Lancastrian Suite. |
| He called on businesses to invest in young people and not to "kick" the apprenticeship system. | He called on businesses to invest in young people and not to "kick" the apprenticeship system. |
| Meanwhile, the Conservatives have said Sir Alan himself should be fired from his TV job because it could conflict with his government tsar role. | Meanwhile, the Conservatives have said Sir Alan himself should be fired from his TV job because it could conflict with his government tsar role. |
| They have written to BBC director general Mark Thompson questioning whether Sir Alan's government job could breach the corporation's impartiality rules during the General Election campaign. | They have written to BBC director general Mark Thompson questioning whether Sir Alan's government job could breach the corporation's impartiality rules during the General Election campaign. |
| We have to make sure that the apprenticeship scheme is not looked at as some kind of thing to be kicked Sir Alan Sugar href="/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/8091994.stm">Reporter finds Sugar not so sweet | |
| The BBC said it would be discussing Sir Alan's new role before making a decision. | The BBC said it would be discussing Sir Alan's new role before making a decision. |
| But Sir Alan refused to be drawn on whether there was a conflict of interest between the two jobs. | But Sir Alan refused to be drawn on whether there was a conflict of interest between the two jobs. |
| He was also asked whether his government appointment was just "window dressing" by prime minister Gordon Brown. | He was also asked whether his government appointment was just "window dressing" by prime minister Gordon Brown. |
| He replied: "I think that's a rather nasty question, to be honest with you." | He replied: "I think that's a rather nasty question, to be honest with you." |
| During the visit, Sir Alan met three new apprentices and also spoke to employers and training providers. | During the visit, Sir Alan met three new apprentices and also spoke to employers and training providers. |
| He said: "Businesses need to invest in young people. It is not the case that apprentices are good because they are cheap. | He said: "Businesses need to invest in young people. It is not the case that apprentices are good because they are cheap. |
| "They are not cheap. They may be cheap in the actual amount of money they are paid by the way of salary but there are expenses because the employer needs to invest their time in growing these people up to become one of their mainstream employees." | "They are not cheap. They may be cheap in the actual amount of money they are paid by the way of salary but there are expenses because the employer needs to invest their time in growing these people up to become one of their mainstream employees." |
| Schools 'segregated' | Schools 'segregated' |
| He added: "I think they [schools and employers] need to take people like them and take them back to school. They could become our ambassadors. | He added: "I think they [schools and employers] need to take people like them and take them back to school. They could become our ambassadors. |
| "I remember in my youth, when I was at school, the teachers kind of segregated, and I don't mean that in a nasty way, those that were really good for old-fashioned apprenticeships and those that should go on in one direction. | "I remember in my youth, when I was at school, the teachers kind of segregated, and I don't mean that in a nasty way, those that were really good for old-fashioned apprenticeships and those that should go on in one direction. |
| "We have to make sure that the apprenticeship scheme is not looked at as some kind of thing to be kicked. The apprenticeship scheme will get you a degree anyway. You can earn as you learn." | "We have to make sure that the apprenticeship scheme is not looked at as some kind of thing to be kicked. The apprenticeship scheme will get you a degree anyway. You can earn as you learn." |
| The government wants to see up to 400,000 apprenticeships on offer in England by 2020, with one in five young people taking part. | The government wants to see up to 400,000 apprenticeships on offer in England by 2020, with one in five young people taking part. |
| The campaign follows a Bill to raise the school leaving age to 18 receiving Royal Assent. | The campaign follows a Bill to raise the school leaving age to 18 receiving Royal Assent. |
| In his job as enterprise tsar, Sir Alan, who is already a member of the prime minister's Business Council for Britain, is expected to help advise government officials on how to help small businesses. | In his job as enterprise tsar, Sir Alan, who is already a member of the prime minister's Business Council for Britain, is expected to help advise government officials on how to help small businesses. |