Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to promote technical courses and apprenticeships.

In September 2024, the department launched a new phase of its ‘It all starts with skills’ campaign. The campaign aims to motivate and equip young people, adults and businesses to make informed choices about skills and technical education opportunities.

Inspiring action, the campaign promotes a range of skills and technical education programmes, including apprenticeships, T Levels, Skills Bootcamps, Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), Free Courses for Jobs, Multiply, essential skills (English, mathematics and digital) and support and advice from the National Careers Service.

The department has strengthened provider access legislation to require schools to give students at least six opportunities during years 8 to 13 to meet providers of apprenticeships or technical education. The department funds the Apprenticeships Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme to actively promote apprenticeships, T Levels and higher technical qualifications to year 10 to 13 students, parents, teachers and careers advisers. Over the last eight years the ASK programme has reached over 3 million students, over 230,000 parents and 100,000 teachers.

The government is also committed to supporting the continued roll-out of T Levels to ensure young people have a choice of high quality options post-16. The department’s T Level ambassador network continues to champion the T Level programme with members sharing their experiences and passion for technical education. The network now stands at over 700 members including employers, providers, students and other organisations.