Agenda item

Report of the Chamberlain

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain on City Apprenticeships. The Committee had previously discussed introducing a scheme as a way of widening interest in the City of London, particularly amongst young people connected to the City of London through their school, and had suggested introducing a scheme that invoked the Livery tradition of Apprenticeships.

Members were supportive of the scheme, and agreed that logically, a number of the historic rules and customs should no longer apply. The scheme would be a notional Apprenticeship with the Freedom Applications Committee as the notional ‘Master’, although Members not on the Committee could potentially be involved in the scheme. As part of the scheme, as an example, Apprentices could undertake a programme of work with an essay for presentation at the conclusion of the programme. Whilst the programme could follow Livery patterns, there was no requirement for it to be attached to the Livery companies.

The Committee discussed how the traditional customs would need to be adapted. Members suggested that the programme should last for four years and be aimed at students who would be around the age of 18 by the time they had completed it, with up to 4 Apprentices attached to each Member.  Apprentices would need to visit Guildhall for any contact, and the historic indentures such as marriage requirements would need to be removed.

A Member queried whether Members would need DBS certificates to participate. Whilst contact during the programme could be limited, it would still be necessary. Members asked that officers look into any duty of care or safeguarding issues that might be relevant to the undertaking of the programme. Members also stressed encouraging diversity amongst students. A Member added that a lot of Members were also Governors of schools, so were likely to have the undertaken the relevant checks as a result of this.

The Chairman advised that the next step would be to devise a set of rules for getting to the point of Apprenticeships and a set of rules governing the issues relevant to undertaking the programme. The Chairman asked that officers look into devising the set of rules required and speak with the Department of Community and Children’s Services about advice on safeguarding issues, before bringing the matter back to the next meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED – That the Freedom Applications Committee support the implementation of the scheme, and instruct officers to develop the scheme as advised ahead of the next meeting of the Committee.