Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the reasons that employers (a) offer and (b) do not offer apprenticeships.

The department has developed an employer-led apprenticeship system which allows employers to design the apprenticeships they need and directly access funding for the apprenticeships that they want, when they want it. There are currently over 670 high-quality apprenticeship standards available for employers across every sector to access.

The department wants to support more employers across the country to recruit new apprentices. We have introduced flexible training models, like flexi-job and accelerated apprenticeships, to make apprenticeships more accessible, and have improved the transfer system so levy-payers can make the most of their funds.

We recognise the important role that small-medium sized employers (SMEs) play in creating apprenticeship opportunities. In April 2023, we removed the limit to the number of apprentices that smaller employers can take on, making it easier for SMEs to grow their businesses with the skilled apprentices they need. The department also provides £1,000 to employers and training providers when they take on certain younger apprentices.

The department works closely with both private and public sector employers to develop and expand their apprenticeship programmes. Since April 2017, there have been over 280,000 apprenticeship starts from public sector employers, and new apprenticeship entry routes created for professions such as nursing and policing.

On the 22 June 2023, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, gave a speech at the Skills for Growth Conference to an audience of public and private sector employers, discussing how we can create a workforce fit for the future and address the urgent recruitment needs of businesses through apprenticeships and skills.