As part of its Skills for Employability policy dialogue programme, the British Council held a four day study tour on good apprenticeship policy and practice in London earlier this year.

Policy makers, agency representatives and educational practitioners from all over the world attended presentations, workshops and networking sessions to learn more about apprenticeships and how the UK experience could be adapted to their national needs. Speakers from a range of organisations including the National Apprenticeship Service, Pearson and People 1st shared their knowledge and expertise on issues such as apprenticeship standards, recruiting apprentices and apprenticeship delivery models.

The tour aimed to provide a detailed introduction to UK strategy, approaches, tools and systems for delivering high quality apprenticeships, and to highlight the main achievements and challenges along the way. It provided first-hand insights into the UK apprenticeship model through visits to UK institutions, employers, apprentices and the most relevant agencies, and offered invaluable networking opportunities and support for delegates reviewing their own country context.

Following the tour, a report was prepared to share main lessons learnt, and to identify next steps in developing effective and appropriate apprenticeship programmes across Egypt and the Middle Eeast and North Africa region.