Electrical sector suffers from disconnection between Executive's education and vocational training policies

Purpose – This paper aims to present the viewpoint of David Wright, head of External Affairs for SELECT, the Electrical Contractors' Association of Scotland. Its purpose is to highlight the adverse impact on the electrical sector of a disconnection between the Scottish Executive's education and vocational training policies. Design/methodology/approach – The paper chronicles relations between the Scottish Executive vis‐à‐vis its education and vocational training policies and Scotland's electrical sector regarding the funding (or otherwise) of apprenticeships. Findings – The paper points out that the Executive is simultaneously promoting a rise in the number of apprenticeships and a rise in the number of pupils staying on longer at school. The paper found that this contradiction has arisen largely as a consequence of the Westminster decision to fund apprenticeships for all 16‐18 year‐olds rather than provide social security payments for anyone unemployed within that age group, while the Executive is simultaneously encouraging 16‐18 year‐olds to stay on at school by funding them to do so. It found that an 18 year‐old leaving school seeking to embark on an apprenticeship will be unlikely to receive any funding, while a 16 year‐old will be guaranteed funding. Practical implications – The paper covers SELECT's support for the policy promoted by the Scottish Parliament's Enterprise and Culture Committee for lifelong learning through the creation of individual learning accounts, whereby funding for vocational training is available to individuals of any age rather than restricted to narrow age parameters. It calls for funding programmes which recognise the practical consequences of the government's policies and which will enable people in their late teens and early 20s – and older – to train or retrain as apprentices. Originality/value – This paper is of value to policymakers, employees, school pupils and apprentices.