The United Kingdom has changed the law so that prisoners can now sign on as apprentices and get on-the-job training while still in prison, and big companies have already pledged to take them on, a British government press release announced on Tuesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th October, 2022) The United Kingdom has changed the law so that prisoners can now sign on as apprentices and get on-the-job training while still in prison, and big companies have already pledged to take them on, a British government press release announced on Tuesday.
"This vital change to the law will not only help us to rehabilitate offenders, but it's also plugging the skills gap for the future. Apprenticeships give employers dedicated new workers in sectors like construction and hospitality and it's great to have such high-profile companies sign up to help prisoners turn their life around through work and training," Skills Minister Andrea Jenkyns commented, as cited in the press release.
Previously, prisoners couldn't become apprentices, as apprenticeship agreements were classified as employment contracts, and Ministry of Justice policy prohibited inmates from signing them to avoid contractual disputes.
Now that the government has made the necessary legislative changes, up to 300 prisoners, who are eligible for day release and nearing the end of their time in prison, are expected to be recruited by 2025.
The Timpson Group, which offers repairs services and whose workforce includes 10% of ex-offenders, and Greene King, a large brewer and pub retailer, have already committed to offer apprenticeships in prison. Other employers such as Coop supermarkets and Sheffield County Council are expected to join the scheme in the coming months.
