Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans Skills England have to ensure that the proposed Growth and Skills Levy will (1) address the skills and training needs of the woodworking and joinery sector, and (2) be fully accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises in that sector across the UK.

Employers in the construction sector, including small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), can access a wide range of government-funded training programmes including T Levels, Skills Bootcamps, Higher Technical Qualifications and apprenticeships. Employers have developed apprenticeship standards in both carpentry and joinery and craft carpentry and joinery to help meet the needs of the woodwork and joinery sector.

The department is promoting apprenticeships and training opportunities to students in schools and colleges through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme as part of the Skills for Life campaign.

To support non-levy paying employers, which are likely to be SMEs, to access apprenticeships, the government pays full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan, or have been in local authority care. Employers of all sizes can also benefit from £1000 payments when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, or apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care.

Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for apprentices aged up to 25 where they earn less than £967 a week, or £50,270 a year.

The government has established Skills England to form a coherent national picture of skills gaps across all sectors and to help shape the technical education system so that it is responsive to skills needs. This will include advising on priorities for the new growth and skills offer, which will create opportunities for learners of all ages, give employers of different sizes greater flexibility to address critical skill shortages, and help drive economic growth. Skills England engaged with over 700 stakeholders over the autumn regarding the growth and skills offer and has shared their findings with the department.

The growth and skills offer will include new foundation apprenticeships for young people, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships. The minimum duration of an apprenticeship will be reduced to eight months from August 2025, down from the current minimum of 12 months. The department will ensure that the needs of smaller employers are considered as it develops the growth and skills offer.