Training organisations and employers' groups told the assembly's Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee that Apprenticeships had an image problem. The London Central Learning and Skills Council and the Southern and Eastern Trades Union Congress told the committee that many young people were shunning Apprenticeships.
This was because they regarded them as "low status" and felt they offered limited opportunities for progression.
The Chartered Surveyors Training Trust and the London Central Learning and Skills Council also told assembly members they had come across reports of employers only wanting White male apprentices.
Dee Doocey, a Liberal Democrat assembly member and chair of the committee, said: "I was shocked that nearly everyone mentioned employer discrimination. Young people and parents also need to see that Apprenticeships don't mean failure. The image of the programme needs a makeover."
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