Universities minister David Willetts says new title will give apprentices recognition for completing apprentice courses

Construction apprentices will gain the title of technician to recognise the completion of their course, universities minister David Willetts said today.

Speaking to the Tory conference in Birmingham, Willetts said it was wrong that too often apprentices in key sectors didn鈥檛 get anything to mark their achievement.

He said: 鈥淵ou should have something to mark your achievement after you have completed a rigorous apprenticeship. After you have been to university you are a graduate, yet too often there is nothing to mark the completion of an apprenticeship. That must change.鈥�

The title is thought likely to apply to apprenticeships in all industry sectors.

Willetts also said that there would be a further 3,000 apprenticeships in the West Midlands over the next three years due to a partnership between Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Birmingham Metropolitan College, including a number in high-tech engineering.

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