Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve apprenticeship retention and completion rates, particularly in sectors with high drop-out levels.

To ensure quality apprenticeships provision, the department holds all providers to account through its apprenticeship accountability framework which encompasses a wide range of quality indicators including achievement and retention.

The support and guidance available to employers and apprentices has also been enhanced and the department has worked with the Learning and Work Institute to produce a number of guides to support apprentices’ on-programme experience, including a line manager’s guide to apprenticeships.

The department is continuing to support employers and providers to focus on quality by making systems and processes simpler whilst introducing flexibilities that will improve outcomes and maintain rigour. Improvements include the introduction of a one-click employer on-boarding process, changes to the English and maths requirements for adult apprentices, and new more efficient end-point assessment plans.

The department has also introduced tools to provide timely feedback on quality and reasons for withdrawal so that we can continue to drive forward progress in the coming years.