5LI: Foul Play in Football Apprenticeships 15 Jan 12




5 live Investigates show

Summary: How wisely is taxpayers' money being spent on government-backed apprenticeships? This week the programme investigates one scheme set up by ex-Welsh football international Mark Aizlewood which was meant to train teenagers to become sports coaches. The company - Luis Michael Training - was awarded around £6 million by eight further education colleges to deliver the scheme at football clubs up and down the country. Two thousand young people signed up - but many failed to get their qualifications. Hundreds of trainees have been left out of pocket and the company is now in liquidation. Was the scheme properly scrutinised by the colleges and the government's Skills Funding Agency? We ask who's to blame for the failure and what happened to all the money.