Government has dropped the ball on apprenticeship schemes for young Bermudians, Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons told the House of Assembly on Friday.

He said it was shocking that out of 22 occupational advisory committees set up to ensure training programmes in various trades were in place, just five were operational.

He said the figure was revealed on Friday in answers to Parliamentary Questions put by Charlie Swan, the UBP's spokesman on youth and the National Training Board.

"It's simply not good enough," he said. "It's not harnessing the need we have in this Country for providing manpower and providing opportunity for young Bermudians."

Dr. Gibbons was speaking on the National Training Board Amendment Act 2009, which was approved by MPs.

Cabinet Minister Walter Roban presented the bill and said it was aimed at giving the Minister responsible for the NTB the power to make decisions without bringing them to the floor of the House.

He said constant changes happened in industry and the Minister needed the flexibility to be able to adapt to those changes quickly to ensure that apprentices and trainees were getting the most up-to-date training.

But Dr. Gibbons said he was disappointed that the Minister had not taken the time to give the House an update on the training schemes offered by the NTB.

"I think it would be very useful to hear from the Minister where the NTB is and where the Government is with respect to some of this training, which all of us have been talking about in the House for a very, very long time," he said.

"We keep hearing promises. It's a very promising government. The problem is they never deliver."

He added: "Frankly, the ball has been dropped."

Mr. Swan said the intent of the legislation was good but he would like to know more about the training schemes that had been developed.