Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve vocational skills among school and college leavers.

The department wants all students to have access to high quality vocational and technical learning. That is why the department is reforming technical education to ensure that all post-16 students have access to high quality technical options that support progression and meet employer needs.

This includes the introduction of T Levels which are substantial, rigorous and focused on high quality learning, and include a substantial industry placement element of around nine weeks. They will provide the knowledge and experience needed for skilled employment, further study (including higher education) or a higher apprenticeship.

We will have 23 T Levels available from 2023 and the major providers of vocational education are already fully engaged with T Level planning and delivery, with over 200 schools also either planning or already offering T Levels.

We are also working closely with employers and employer groups nationally to build their awareness about T Levels and the importance of vocational education and to encourage them to offer industry placements.

Apprenticeships are a core part of the government’s skills agenda, helping to drive economic growth by improving the skills pipeline. They give employees high-quality, hands-on training to start and progress in work and give employers the skills they need to grow, helping them fill their vacancies and train their workforces to address industry skills gaps. They offer a high-quality route into more than 650 occupations, from entry-level to expert roles, spanning Levels 2 to 7. To support more employers across the country to access apprenticeships we are increasing funding for apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by 2024/25 financial year.

We have introduced Skills Bootcamps which offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and the offer of a job interview with an employer. They are currently available across the country and deliver training in key areas such as digital, technical (including engineering and manufacturing), construction, logistics and green skills.

The free Courses for Jobs offer allows eligible adults to access over 400 Level 3 qualifications (A level equivalent) for free, in subject areas including engineering, construction, health and social care and accounting, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job.