Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that apprenticeship opportunities are accessible to under-represented groups, including those in rural areas and disadvantaged communities.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Meeting the skills needs of the next decade is central to delivering all of the government's five missions on economic growth, opportunity for all, a stronger NHS, safer streets, and clean energy. Through delivering the opportunity and growth missions, we will ensure that we have the skilled workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs. This will align with the industrial strategy and break down the barriers to opportunity for learners.

The department is developing new foundation apprenticeships to give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives, whilst supporting the pipeline of new talent that employers will need to drive economic growth. Foundation apprenticeships will be a work-based training offer that will provide young people with clear progression pathways into further work-based training and employment.

The department is engaging with relevant stakeholders as it develops the offer to maximise the positive impact of foundation apprenticeships on young people, including those in disadvantaged areas. More detail on foundation apprenticeships will be set out in due course.

The department continues to pay additional funding to employers and training providers to support them to take on young apprentices, apprentices with learning difficulties and disabilities and care leavers. Apprentices under the age of 25 that have been in local authority care can claim a bursary of £3,000 when they start an apprenticeship to support them as they transition into employment.

The department also continues to promote apprenticeships through the Skills for Life campaign and in schools and colleges across England through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) Programme. Through the ASK Programme, the department increases awareness of apprenticeships amongst students in years 10 to 13, as well as parents, carers, teachers and careers advisers. During the 2023/24 academic year, ASK engaged with 2,366 schools and colleges and reached over 575,000 students.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they intend to monitor and improve the quality of training provided through apprenticeship programmes to ensure they meet industry standards.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

The department is making sure that apprenticeships continue to meet employers’ needs in a fast-changing world. All standards are developed by employers to ensure their credibility and applicability, and all standards are reviewed periodically by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. Employers can also request exceptional reviews if they feel a major update is required.

High-quality training is crucial and apprentices' success hinges on the commitment and collaboration of an employer, apprentice, and training provider. The department’s Apprenticeship Accountability Framework sets minimum standards for various quality performance indicators, and we actively intervene if a provider's performance falls below the expected levels. Ofsted are also inspecting apprenticeship providers, and the department is using their judgements to support and drive the delivery of high-quality apprenticeship provision. The department is providing targeted support to employers, and the Apprenticeship Service gives employers and learners the opportunity to provide feedback on their experiences which we use to improve the apprenticeship experience. Every apprentice completes a robust End-Point Assessment to give apprentices and employers the confidence that they have achieved occupational competence.

Apprentices who complete see the best outcomes from their experiences. Our focus on driving up quality is resulting in year on year increases in achievement rates and will continue to drive up standards to ensure every learner gets the greatest benefit from their apprenticeship.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what data they have available regarding the long-term employment outcomes for individuals who have completed apprenticeships compared to those who have not.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

The department publishes annual data on the employment outcomes of apprentices, including earnings up to five years after completion. The latest data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/further-education-outcomes#explore-data-and-files. 93% of those who completed an apprenticeship in the 2021/22 academic year were in employment in 2022/23.

Further, a report published by the department in 2021 compared the employment outcomes of those who achieved apprenticeships with similar individuals who did not, three to five years after completion. The report showed that, on average, achieving an apprenticeship led to a four percentage points increase in the likelihood of employment for learners aged 16 and over for apprenticeships at levels 2, 3 and 4/5. The report is attached and can also be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/986649/Measuring_the_Net_Present_Value_of_Further_Education_in_England_2018_to_2019.pdf.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support mechanisms are in place for employers who take on apprentices; and how they plan to incentivise more businesses to participate in apprenticeship schemes.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

Meeting the skills needs of the next decade is central to delivering all of the government's five missions on economic growth, opportunity for all, a stronger NHS, safer streets, and clean energy. Through delivering the opportunity and growth missions, we will ensure that we have the skilled workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs. This will align with the industrial strategy and break down the barriers to opportunity for learners.

The government is reforming the current levy-funded apprenticeships offer to deliver greater flexibility for employers. Apprenticeships will remain at the heart of the offer. To support more businesses to participate in apprenticeships, the department is introducing shorter duration apprenticeships and foundation apprenticeships in targeted sectors.

Employers have been calling for greater flexibility in our apprenticeships offer and the government is taking action. Apprenticeships currently must have a duration of at least 12 months, but the department recognises that there are circumstances where someone can be fully competent in less time. We will introduce the flexibility where there is clear justification, to meet the needs of specific sectors and learners, whilst ensuring that we protect quality and continue to deliver strong outcomes.

Foundation apprenticeships will be a new work-based training offer that give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives, whilst supporting the pipeline of new talent that employers will need to drive economic growth. The department is working closely with employers and providers to design foundation apprenticeships that offer young people a good route into good, skilled work and meets the needs of the industrial strategy.

The department will take advice from Skills England as it develops the offer. More broadly, Skills England has been established to work together with regional and local governments, employers, education providers, trade unions, and regional organisations to ensure that regional and national skills needs are met at all levels, from essential skills to those delivered via higher education. Skills England undertook initial engagement over the autumn on the early priorities for flexibilities the department will set out more details on its plans in due course.

To support non-levy paying employers, which are likely to be small and medium sized enterprises, to access apprenticeships, the government pays the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16-21, and for apprentices aged 22-24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care.

Employers of all sizes can also benefit from £1000 payments when they take on apprentices aged 16-18, or apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care. This is in recognition of the additional support that younger apprentices may require when entering employment. Employers can choose how they spend these payments. Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 where they earn less than £967 a week (£50,270 a year).

Employers that need help with employing an apprentice, including accessing funding, can access our employer support GOV.UK page, which is available here: https://help.employersupport.apprenticeships.gov.uk/hc/en-gb.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate collaboration between educational institutions and industries to create apprenticeship programmes that align with current job market needs.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

Meeting the skills needs of the next decade is central to delivering all of the government's five missions on economic growth, opportunity for all, a stronger NHS, safer streets, and clean energy. Through delivering the opportunity and growth missions, we will ensure that we have the skilled workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs. This will align with the industrial strategy and break down the barriers to opportunity for learners.

The government is reforming the current levy-funded apprenticeships offer to deliver greater flexibility for employers. Apprenticeships will remain at the heart of the offer. To support more businesses to participate in apprenticeships, the department is introducing shorter duration apprenticeships and foundation apprenticeships in targeted sectors.

Employers have been calling for greater flexibility in our apprenticeships offer and the government is taking action. Apprenticeships currently must have a duration of at least 12 months, but the department recognises that there are circumstances where someone can be fully competent in less time. We will introduce the flexibility where there is clear justification, to meet the needs of specific sectors and learners, whilst ensuring that we protect quality and continue to deliver strong outcomes.

Foundation apprenticeships will be a new work-based training offer that give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives, whilst supporting the pipeline of new talent that employers will need to drive economic growth. The department is working closely with employers and providers to design foundation apprenticeships that offer young people a good route into good, skilled work and meets the needs of the industrial strategy.

The department will take advice from Skills England as it develops the offer. More broadly, Skills England has been established to work together with regional and local governments, employers, education providers, trade unions, and regional organisations to ensure that regional and national skills needs are met at all levels, from essential skills to those delivered via higher education. Skills England undertook initial engagement over the autumn on the early priorities for flexibilities the department will set out more details on its plans in due course.

To support non-levy paying employers, which are likely to be small and medium sized enterprises, to access apprenticeships, the government pays the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16-21, and for apprentices aged 22-24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care.

Employers of all sizes can also benefit from £1000 payments when they take on apprentices aged 16-18, or apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care. This is in recognition of the additional support that younger apprentices may require when entering employment. Employers can choose how they spend these payments. Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 where they earn less than £967 a week (£50,270 a year).

Employers that need help with employing an apprentice, including accessing funding, can access our employer support GOV.UK page, which is available here: https://help.employersupport.apprenticeships.gov.uk/hc/en-gb.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase funding for apprenticeship programmes, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises that may struggle to support apprenticeship placements.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

Meeting the skills needs of the next decade is central to delivering all of the government's five missions on economic growth, opportunity for all, a stronger NHS, safer streets, and clean energy. Through delivering the opportunity and growth missions, we will ensure that we have the skilled workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs. This will align with the industrial strategy and break down the barriers to opportunity for learners.

The government is reforming the current levy-funded apprenticeships offer to deliver greater flexibility for employers. Apprenticeships will remain at the heart of the offer. To support more businesses to participate in apprenticeships, the department is introducing shorter duration apprenticeships and foundation apprenticeships in targeted sectors.

Employers have been calling for greater flexibility in our apprenticeships offer and the government is taking action. Apprenticeships currently must have a duration of at least 12 months, but the department recognises that there are circumstances where someone can be fully competent in less time. We will introduce the flexibility where there is clear justification, to meet the needs of specific sectors and learners, whilst ensuring that we protect quality and continue to deliver strong outcomes.

Foundation apprenticeships will be a new work-based training offer that give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives, whilst supporting the pipeline of new talent that employers will need to drive economic growth. The department is working closely with employers and providers to design foundation apprenticeships that offer young people a good route into good, skilled work and meets the needs of the industrial strategy.

The department will take advice from Skills England as it develops the offer. More broadly, Skills England has been established to work together with regional and local governments, employers, education providers, trade unions, and regional organisations to ensure that regional and national skills needs are met at all levels, from essential skills to those delivered via higher education. Skills England undertook initial engagement over the autumn on the early priorities for flexibilities the department will set out more details on its plans in due course.

To support non-levy paying employers, which are likely to be small and medium sized enterprises, to access apprenticeships, the government pays the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16-21, and for apprentices aged 22-24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care.

Employers of all sizes can also benefit from £1000 payments when they take on apprentices aged 16-18, or apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care. This is in recognition of the additional support that younger apprentices may require when entering employment. Employers can choose how they spend these payments. Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 where they earn less than £967 a week (£50,270 a year).

Employers that need help with employing an apprentice, including accessing funding, can access our employer support GOV.UK page, which is available here: https://help.employersupport.apprenticeships.gov.uk/hc/en-gb.