Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to require armed forces apprenticeships to adhere to the quality criteria outlined by The Future of Apprenticeships in England: Implementation Plan, produced by his Department.

All new apprenticeships standards and related assessment plans must meet the requirements set out in the guidance for Trailblazers and undergo a rigorous approval process. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-apprenticeships-in-england-guidance-for-trailblazers

We are improving the quality of apprenticeships through the development of new standards focused on the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to achieve full competence in a particular occupation, and more rigorous end-point assessment against these requirements.

The Armed Forces and the MoD are heavily involved in the development of such standards via our Trailblazer programme, including the development of the Serviceperson, Systems Engineering Masters level and Maritime Mechanical Fitter standards which were approved and published on 12 March.