Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to increase promote photography apprenticeships.

To promote apprenticeships across all sectors, we are first and foremost ensuring that apprenticeships are a quality product recognised by individuals and employers. Our communications campaign aims to help increase the number of vacancies created by employers and to encourage young people to choose an apprenticeship as a high quality career route, signposting them to new vacancies on offer. We target potential apprentices, employers, parents and teachers using channels such as video adverts for TV, cinema and online channels, a national billboard campaign, digital advertising and social media, as well as through face-to-face engagement activities and events. Our communication continues to support employers to create new vacancies and to publicise them on the Find An Apprenticeship website.

New apprenticeship standards across all levels are being designed and driven by industry; creating higher quality training that will lead to a more skilled and productive economy. All starts will be on the new, high quality standards by the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year.

A level 3 Photographic Assistant standard is currently in development. Employers involved in creating the standard include Defence School of Photography, ScreenSkills, Creative Pioneers and Warwickshire College.