Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that apprenticeship opportunities are accessible to under-represented groups, including those in rural areas and disadvantaged communities.

This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Meeting the skills needs of the next decade is central to delivering all of the government's five missions on economic growth, opportunity for all, a stronger NHS, safer streets, and clean energy. Through delivering the opportunity and growth missions, we will ensure that we have the skilled workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs. This will align with the industrial strategy and break down the barriers to opportunity for learners.

The department is developing new foundation apprenticeships to give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives, whilst supporting the pipeline of new talent that employers will need to drive economic growth. Foundation apprenticeships will be a work-based training offer that will provide young people with clear progression pathways into further work-based training and employment.

The department is engaging with relevant stakeholders as it develops the offer to maximise the positive impact of foundation apprenticeships on young people, including those in disadvantaged areas. More detail on foundation apprenticeships will be set out in due course.

The department continues to pay additional funding to employers and training providers to support them to take on young apprentices, apprentices with learning difficulties and disabilities and care leavers. Apprentices under the age of 25 that have been in local authority care can claim a bursary of £3,000 when they start an apprenticeship to support them as they transition into employment.

The department also continues to promote apprenticeships through the Skills for Life campaign and in schools and colleges across England through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) Programme. Through the ASK Programme, the department increases awareness of apprenticeships amongst students in years 10 to 13, as well as parents, carers, teachers and careers advisers. During the 2023/24 academic year, ASK engaged with 2,366 schools and colleges and reached over 575,000 students.