Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government plans to take to increase the number of (a) young people and (b) young men from deprived areas entering further education and taking up apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships are a great way for people of all ages and backgrounds to progress in work and life.

We are encouraging a wider range of young people into apprenticeships including a commitment to increasing the proportion of BAME apprenticeship starts by 20% by 2020.

Traineeships are available to help 16-23 year olds become ‘work ready’. They include work preparation training, English, Maths and work experience, which all help the trainee to enter the world of work, including apprenticeships. They are flexible so providers can adapt them to the needs of the trainee by including additional support such as mentoring.

In addition to apprenticeships and traineeships, the Adult Education Budget supports those aged 19 and over who are unemployed, low-skilled, or socially disadvantaged, to enable them to develop the skills they require to progress towards wider learning and employment.

The local commissioning of adult skills by the Combined Authorities will make it easier to create new, more effective packages of support tailored to the needs of individuals, including adults in deprived areas.