Apprenticeships & Training Conference’s Post

Balancing act: Youth apprenticeships and the case for a flexible skills levy This report outlines recommendations for a more flexible levy and the introduction of an Apprenticeship Guarantee for young people to rebalance financial subsidies towards younger apprentices Useful reading for CMBEs who are involved in apprenticeship provision at members of the Chartered Association of Business Schools in the UK. https://lnkd.in/eyFUHp3P

Yet another report showing the desperate need to reform the apprenticeship levy, this time from CIPD, showing: 📉 a drop in apprenticeships - particularly in young people (though apprenticeships aren't *just* for young people - this drop is still worrying) 📉 reducing spend on trainees 🔮 rebadging existing training as apprenticeships ❌ worries about quality, with low compliance and low completion rates 😕 a proliferation of standards (double that of Germany!) https://lnkd.in/eKS5SnUK

While apprenticeship starts in England have declined, Ofsted’s latest report shows their quality is improving, a win for learners and employers alike! 🌟 With apprenticeships key to the Labour government’s push for skills and growth, Ofsted is driving change: ✅ Single headline grades for schools are gone. ✅ A new 2025 framework will introduce detailed report cards for providers. Explore the findings and see how education is evolving 👉 https://hubs.la/Q02_6Tjl0

Apprenticeship L7 Debate One of the most worrying aspects of the debate coming out of government is the impression that we can only have more young people undertaking apprenticeships, we can only have foundation apprenticeships and we can only have shorter apprenticeships IF we defund level 7 apprenticeships. There is being created in my view, a spurious link between the two. A type of cause and effect. This is of course complete nonsense. If we need more funding for young people, and foundation apprenticeships, which I agree that we most certainly do, then do something simple like removing the additional 10% added to levy pots, or even reduce what employers can spend to 90% of their contributions. Whatever is done, leave L7 apprenticeships funded, and stop creating a false narrative, that insists they need to be sacrificed.

Productive conversation on apprenticeships and their impact in Parliament yesterday with Seema Malhotra FRSA, Shantanu Rajawat and Phillip Walker, Director of Lifelong Learning at London Borough of Hounslow. While we are proud that apprenticeship starts are growing at a higher rate amongst 18-year-olds in London compared to the national picture, the current apprenticeship levy system is not working as it should. The current system has limited opportunities for young Londoners and fails to provide the flexibility needed by employers. We look forward to continuing to work with national government & Skills England to make the new Growth & Skills levy work for both Londoners and employers to drive productivity, meet skills gaps, and ensure inclusive economic growth. Department for Education IfATE (Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education)

New Apprenticeship Levy Guide for Schools and MATs Discover how to use apprenticeships and levy funding to meet your staffing needs. This guide provides information on how the levy works and developing an apprenticeship strategy to meet your goads. Read or download below!

⬇️ Apprenticeship starts in Bristol have fallen by more than one fifth in the past decade according to new research, reports Charlie Watts for BristolWorld. 🔎 An investigation by the House of Commons Library found that 760 fewer apprenticeships enrolled in programmes last year than in 2012/3, a 22 per cent decline. 🎙️ Bristol MP Karin Smyth laid some blame at the feet of the Apprenticeship Levy, suggesting that it has "deprived students from disadvantaged backgrounds of the chance to learn vital skills". Her comments follow recent calls for the levy to be restructured, with funds diverted from higher level apprenticeships for older employees to programmes aimed at training young people on the lowest rungs of the employment ladder. #bristol #apprenticeships #houseofcommons https://lnkd.in/e3YrNAf2

Could the flex in the levy have a negative impact on apprenticeship numbers? Should we keep the levy just for apprenticeships? What else do you think the levy will be spent on? Navigating post-election uncertainty. Very interesting panel discussion this morning at the AELP National Conference. #AELPNC24 #oneadvanced

On May 8, the Maryland Apprenticeship Connector (MAC) hosted an inspiring Youth Apprenticeship Week Roundtable at the Community College of Baltimore County in Catonsville. This dynamic Roundtable brought together educators, employers, apprentices, and policymakers to share valuable insights and experiences. We discussed how youth apprenticeship programs meet current workforce needs and ensure a resilient, skilled workforce for the future. One standout highlight is that a remarkable 94% of student apprentices stay with their Youth Apprentice employer for at least one year after graduation! This high retention rate reduces business turnover and results in better-prepared employees. The Roundtable emphasized the need for increased support and funding for youth apprenticeship programs as essential investments in Maryland's workforce and economy. It also highlighted the importance of more employers joining these initiatives to scale and fully integrate apprenticeships into the employment ecosystem. Employers play a vital role in providing the real-world experience and mentorship apprentices need to thrive.

Apprenticeship Funding Guide NHSE have worked to create a guide to funding apprenticeships in the NHS. Some of topics covered in this guide include: Apprenticeship Levy Funding Bands Funding end-point assessment Funding apprentice salary Read or download the Apprenticeship Funding Guide here. https://bit.ly/4dFyGQN