Members urged to make their voice heard on plans to force salons to contribute to the cost of apprenticeships

The NHBF is calling on members to come forward and tell the government what they think about plans to force employers to pay a compulsory cash contribution towards the funding of apprenticeships.

The proposal is part of wider government plans to make apprenticeships more employer-led, a process in which hairdressing, barbering and beauty is playing a central role as an industry “trailblazer” mapping out new standards for training.

 Earlier this year the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills decided employers, rather than training providers, should take direct control of apprenticeship funding once the new structures launch next year, and earlier this month it launched a short consultation to gather views on how this might work.

The consultation closes on May 1. The NHBF is polling members during April and will be feeding in a formal submission on the back of the findings of this poll. The poll will close on April 24 and is open to both members and non-members.

The survey can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3P9BVVS

NHBF chief executive Hilary Hall has urged members to take the time to fill in the survey and add to their voice to what is an important debate about the future of training within hairdressing, barbering and beauty.

A lot of what the government is proposing around apprenticeships is hugely positive, and there are even elements within the funding proposals, such as extra money for younger trainees, that will be beneficial to the industry.

“But imposing a compulsory employer cash contribution on apprenticeship training is something we already know many salon owners feel very strong about and which, if it happens, would be likely to put them off taking on apprentices. Many were worried how much this extra financial burden might cost them at what is still, for many salons, a difficult time economically,” she said.

Although the government has proposed there should be extra funding for 16- and 17-year-olds, it has also argued the new-look apprenticeships will need to include a “compulsory employer cash contribution for a significant proportion of the external training and assessment costs”. The exact level of this contribution has yet to be decided.

A second element of the consultation is examining the best methods for getting training money to employers, with options being examined including through existing PAYE processes or through the establishment of new online Apprenticeship Credit accounts.

The NHBF is also encouraging members to go and read the government’s consultation document.

It is vital the industry’s voice is heard on this issue. We urge salon owners to download and read the consultation and submit their views to government,” said Hilary.

Click here for the consultation