Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme for raising awareness of (a) apprenticeships, (b) traineeships and (c) T Levels in (i) Kent and (ii) England.

The Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme has played an important role in promoting apprenticeships and other technical education routes over the last nine academic years. Over this period there has been a significant increase in the interest and understanding of apprenticeships and technical education pathways which has been influenced by the ASK programme and other government initiatives to raise awareness of these routes.

The Careers and Enterprise Company’s Future Skills Questionnaire (FSQ) shows that in 2023/24, 88% of year 13 and 80% of year 11 were aware of and understood apprenticeship related options after their education in England. FSQ also shows that students are over twice as likely to report awareness of apprenticeships between year 7 and year 11 (from 38% to 80%, almost on a par with A levels). In Kent, 77% of year 11 students reported understanding apprenticeships compared to 79% awareness of A Levels.

FSQ data also show that since the T Level programme was launched in 2020, awareness and understanding of the T Levels has increased from 37% in 2021/22 to 47% in 2023/24.

Data from the Parent, Pupil and Learner Panel Survey also shows that awareness of T Levels is growing rapidly. 50% of students in years 9 to 11 knew about a T Level in 2023, up from 14% two years earlier.

The Traineeship programme was closed on 31 July 2023 under the previous government.