Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to increase the number of women participating in advanced manufacturing apprenticeships.

The number of women starting engineering and manufacturing technologies apprenticeships has increased threefold from 1,600 in the 2009/10 academic year to 4,800 in the 2013/14 academic year.

We are committed to ensure that the STEM workforce is diverse, reflects wider society and makes use of all the talents available to it. We need to articulate to young people, especially women, the career opportunities in STEM based occupation via STEM apprenticeships.

National Apprenticeship Week, 9 – 13 March, will see a number of events across the country celebrating and promoting the benefits and opportunities offered by apprenticeships in STEM. This will complement our recent `Get in. Go far` Campaign that featured dynamic young women in apprenticeships, including engineering.