Ending traineeships makes room for something better

Traineeships make a difference to young people, with research showing participants are more likely to be in a positive destination like an apprenticeship or further learning. They consist of things you’d expect in a good education and training programme, like work preparation and experience. We’ve shown how occupational traineeships at Hartlepool College and Intertrain have helped young people prepare for jobs in construction and rail.

On the face of it, then, isn’t it a mistake to end traineeships as a national programme? Yes, the government has missed its targets to treble numbers and returned unspent money to the Treasury. But isn’t the answer to better promote traineeships and provide more incentives and support to employers and young people, particularly given better funded programmes like Kickstart will have affected take-up?

As it happens, I think the government is right. To understand why, we need to step back to first principles. 

What are we trying to achieve? Our aim is to reduce the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training. This stands at around 700,000, down since the pandemic but still too high.

Lots of organisations are trying to engage these young people, including Jobcentre Plus (for those aged 18-24), councils, colleges and independent training providers. They do great work, but I think the lack of a joined-up plan and clear offer can hold us back. Too often funding rules make us think in silos about programmes that risk requiring young people to fit around policy rather than vice versa. 

And the multitude of programmes, often with overlapping rules and eligibility criteria, can make it difficult to see the wood for the trees.

Surely it’s better to work with young people to agree what’s most likely to help them into education, apprenticeships or employment? Which is actually what the government says it’s trying to do. 

Instead of being a relatively small standalone national programme, helping about 15,000 people a year, the money for traineeships will be rolled into the budgets for 16-19 study programmes and the adult education budget. If providers think traineeships, or elements of them, are the best support for particular groups then they can do them.

But there’s a few things to watch out for. 

First, I’d like this to be the first step on a path to simplification. Could Bootcamps be next? What’s our ultimate ambition? For example, the Local Government Association argued for a single pot of money underpinned by agreements on the outcomes this would deliver and then freedom in how these would be delivered. Can we reduce the number of funding pots colleges and training providers have to deal with, with a greater focus on education and work outcomes? 

Second, we’ve long argued for a Youth Guarantee, ensuring every young person is offered a job, training place or apprenticeship. That would require local and national government to work together with providers on a joined-up plan – making sure young people get referred to the right support for them regardless of which bit of the system they engage with.

Third, we need to make sure that in making this switch we don’t lose great provision or providers that are delivering fantastic traineeships now. And we need to make sure this is a real and sustained increase in funding. We’ve already shown that higher-than-expected inflation is a stealth cut of £850 million in adult skills funding over three years. The public finances are tight, but investment in education and skills is good for the economy and social justice. 

Traineeships made a difference. It’s now up to providers and devolved areas to make sure all young people get the support they need. 

A Christmas mission from GCHQ

Last week, FE Week subscribers got a secret first look at this year’s festive challenge from GCHQ, and now you and your students can join in the fun too.

The intelligence agency traditionally hides a puzzle in director Jeremy Fleming’s annual Christmas card to national security colleagues. This is his second card for young people and your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to print it out and bring your students in from the cold to solve it.

Uncover the hidden message and let GCHQ know how you’re getting on by tagging them on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #GCHQChirstmasChallenge. (They might have a hint or two to help you on your way.)

Young people who enjoy the Christmas card puzzles and are interested in developing their cyber skills are encouraged to take part in the National Cyber Security Centre’s CyberFirst activities, or find more brainteasers in the puzzles section of the GCHQ website.

///feasibly.influx.expectation

Public Accounts Committee warns skills system is ‘failing to deliver’

An influential committee of MPs has told DfE ministers to “get serious” on skills in a damning report on the state of the skills system.

A report published by the Public Acounts Committee today has put together a series of recommendations for the government to boost skills training and education, warning that the £4 billion annual spend on 19+  education and training is “failing to deliver skills we need for the economy”.

The apprenticeship levy must be reviewed and an action plan produced to boost participation of people from disadvantaged backgrounds in training, the committee said.

The committee’s recommendations have called on the Department for Education to “review how it incentivises employers to invest in skills development, including through the apprenticeship levy, and in light of the findings, take action to improve the effectiveness of the incentives”.

In addition, it said the DfE should develop an evidence-based plan to support those from disadvantaged backgrounds into training, strip out government programmes that overlap with each other, and come up with measures to support colleges to tackle financial and workforce pressures.

The report authors said they were “extremely concerned” at the fall in FE and skills training participation from disadvantaged groups, saying take up in the most deprived 20 per cent of England had fallen 39 per cent in five years.

In addition, it said that making the apprenticeship landscape work for smaller employers is “fundamental” to increasing take-up from 16-19s and disadvantaged groups.

Committee chair Meg Hillier (main image), warned that the government is “not going to make inroads on levelling up if it does not get ahead of this”.

She added: “With UK workforce numbers falling the government need to get serious on skills. The future of the economy depends on it.”

The PAC pointed to adult education figures which revealed participation had halved from the 3.2 million learners in 2010/11 to just 1.6 million a decade later.

Other recommendations from the committee included clarifying success measures of the FE Skills Index – the government’s tool to determine the impact of further education on productivity, and providing more detail on the Unit for Future Skills – a division of the government to look at the link between skills and jobs.

Jane Hickie, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) welcomed the report and its findings.

“We know there has been a significant drop in adult participation in FE and skills training,” she said.

“This can be largely attributed to the fact adult education funding has halved in the past decade, alongside reduced employer investment. Both employers and government must address declining participations in adult education by increasing investment, to support disadvantaged adults develop work-ready skills and enable employers to fill skills gaps.”

Hickie added that clearer guidance on training and education pathways and reduced complexity in the system were also needed.

On colleges, the report said college financial health remained “fragile” and the money and workforce squeeze had forced some colleges to reduce the length of courses or narrow the curriculum, as well as cut back on enrichment activities and careers advice.

David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said colleges were being “starved of the investment” to deliver skilled workers.

He added: “Anyone working in the sector will not be surprised by the alarming picture this report highlights. Cuts since 2010 have reduced participation in adult education to record low numbers.”

Hughes pointed to the chancellor’s autumn statement that snubbed FE funding when schools were given a £2 billion uplift each year for the next two years, and said that sectors struggling to recruit people contributes to a “massive drain on productivity and therefore economic growth”.

Skills minister Robert Halfon said: “Our skills programmes have been designed hand-in-hand with businesses to meet their needs, and that of the wider economy. Our ambition is to ensure people of all ages, at all stages of life, can access high quality technical qualifications and training – and are able to climb the ladder of opportunity.

“We are focused on delivery to drive long-term economic growth and create a pipeline of talent to meet the needs of our future workforce. That is why in the autumn statement we announced Sir Michael Barber will be advising on skills implementation to drive forward our progress.”

Ending traineeships could be devastating for young learners

Make no mistake, this week’s decision to close the national traineeships programme for new starts from August 2023 is an absolute disaster.

A scheme which does so much to promote opportunity for the most disadvantaged should not be in line for the axe – and diverting its funding instead to the 16-19 study programme and adult education is a hammer blow to thousands of 16 to 18 learners.

The government’s own research shows that traineeships are extremely effective. Around three-quarters of all trainees have successful outcomes – either taking on work, starting an apprenticeship or further study – within 12 months. This compares to fewer than half of all non-trainees. The scheme’s flexible nature means it can be tailored to meet local needs- something employers really value. 

Government have cited poor take up as the reason for axing traineeships. That is true, but there is a context! Unlike other programmes, such as Kickstart, there are no learner incentives attached to the scheme. So no surprise there. 

The cost-of-living crisis is driving behaviour too, so it’s hardly a shock there hasn’t been a huge rush for a programme with no immediate financial benefit for the learner. AELP has long called for government to focus on increasing participation through better promotion of traineeships and introducing incentives for learners – instead of removing choice. Sadly, our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. 

Disappearing traineeships = disappearing opportunities at entry level

Lots of things about this decision worry me, but I am particularly worried about the impact this it will have on social mobility. The biggest beneficiaries of the traineeships programme have been school leavers with low previous rates of achievement.

The programme offered this group meaningful work experience alongside relevant on-the-job training – as well as support to improve their English, maths and digital skills.

The government are yet to publish an equality impact assessment on scrapping traineeships, but given 33 per cent of participants come from ethnic minority backgrounds, and 23 per cent have learning difficulties or disabilities, this is such a short-sighted move. 

I am also very concerned that this announcement is made against a backdrop of reforms at level 2 and below where funding could be removed from up to 90 per cent of qualifications for young people.

Given traineeships were previously heralded as the alternative to a level 2 business admin apprenticeship pathway, the impact of scrapping traineeships at the same time level 2 and below qualifications are being significantly scaled back will severely limit skills provision at entry level. This could have a catastrophic effect on the people that need skills training the most. 

Lack of engagement with employers or the skills sector

It is disappointing that ministers and officials did not consider it necessary to engage with the skills sector or employers on the future of traineeships. A meaningful consultation could have led to a solution which would not have caused such a backlash. One large employer I spoke to yesterday was horrified by the decision – and the lack of any consultation or communication – as they had traineeships firmly embedded in their workforce planning which they would now have to revisit.

As part of the plans, the government is also proposing to end contracts for independent training providers who have a 16-18 traineeship contract – there are 136 of them – but not a wider 16-19 study programme contract. Inevitably strips out specialist expertise and capacity for supporting both young people and the government’s social mobility agenda. We must not lose that expertise – these are providers already approved and trusted to offer provision to young people by the government. 

To land this on the sector, out of the blue, would be a bad one to land at any time of year but I have to say, this is a truly terrible time to make such an announcement. 

We’re about to head into a Christmas break after a really challenging year. Coupled with rising costs, the additional financial strain caused by such an abrupt end to contracts may well be too much to manage for some providers – especially if they have fixed costs such as leases for premises.

These plans will provoke many, many questions about what happens next, and send a lot of staff working for providers home for Christmas worried about their livelihoods. Rushing this announcement out less than a fortnight before Christmas will make it nigh on impossible to get the prompt answers providers, employers and learners deserve.

Creating more opportunities for young people should be a priority of any government, especially one who have talked so much about the ladder of opportunity. Scrapping traineeships is a big mistake – and AELP will fight for this decision to be reversed.

Five findings from Halfon’s education committee appearance

Skills minister Robert Halfon has addressed questions from education select committee members today on the future of post-16 qualifications.

The minister, a former chair of the committee himself, spoke on a range of subjects, including T Levels, apprenticeships, careers advice, a British Baccalaureate and traineeships.

Here are a handful of things we learned:

Are traineeships dead?

Following yesterday’s news that traineeships had been scrapped amid low take-up numbers, Halfon told the committee that in fact “they are not being stopped” but only being “integrated into existing programmes”.

He referenced existing work such as skills bootcamps, the T Level transition programme, free courses for jobs and other skills programmes as viable alternatives.

“Traineeships can be carried on, but through the providers, through the further education colleges, because each student gets a study programme and can be offered a traineeship through that,” Halfon continued.

“But the crucial point was the take-up was low, too low, for a national programme, which is why we made the decision it would be better to integrate it with other skills programmes but also offer it if independent providers want to carry on doing so with the study programme.”

“Hybrid” T Level work placements

Halfon confirmed the Department for Education is “looking at allowing hybrid placements” for T Level students’ mandatory 45-day or 315-hour work placements.

That would allow students do some placement in person and some online. In addition, he said the department is also assessing whether to let T Level students go to a training facility of the employer rather than on the floor of the business itself.

Halfon also floated the potential in future for AI-based elements to work placements too.

He added: “I would like work experience across all qualifications – one day I hope that will be the case”.

During Covid-19, the department allowed those starting courses in 2020 or 2021 to complete up to 40 per cent of their placement online.

More details for the level 2 and 3 review

Sue Lovelock, the DfE’s director of professional and technical education added more meat to the bone on the next steps for the review of level 2 and 3 qualifications.

In October the government confirmed that 3,240 qualifications from entry level to level 2 were in scope for review, with more than 2,000 of those under threat of being defunded, while level 3s that overlap with T Levels are also facing the chop.

Lovelock said the next step will feature employer input.

She said: “The next phase of the reforms will be undertaken by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and Ofqual, who will use their specialist expertise in using input from employers, in particular, on whether a qualification meets the needs of employers in those areas, and Ofqual’s regulation of qualification specialism in order to make sure of qualification by qualification judgements on whether something is good quality, necessary, and leading onto good progression opportunities for young people.”

That process will be completed by 2025 for level 3s and 2027 for level 2s, she confirmed.

No timeline on British Baccalaureate

Reports emerged soon after prime minister Rishi Sunak took office that he was looking to introduce a new British Baccalaureate.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan last week told the committee in her first grilling in post that discussions so far had mostly been around the study of maths up to the age of 18, but was “pragmatic” on whether a British Baccalaureate would happen in the remaining two years of parliament.

Halfon told the committee today that he has an “open mind” on it – including on whether it should be called a British or English baccalaureate, but said that the most important factor in the debate will be on whether such a baccalaureate would deliver outcomes for students.

When asked about timescales and whether the department is actively looking at it, he added: “There are discussions going on in the department about these issues, but I cannot give you a timescale at this time.”

Apprenticeship levy reform ruled out again

The question of whether the apprenticeship levy should be reformed to offer more flexibility has been raised countless times, and this morning was no exception.

Halfon said: “We are not planning to make reforms of the levy. I am looking at it in terms of how is it ensuring that disadvantaged students are doing apprenticeships, and also of how it is meeting our skills needs, but we are doing everything possible to increase apprenticeship quality.”

Ofsted annual report: Staff shortages hampering quality

Ofsted has published its annual report on the state of education and social care for the last academic year – the first full year of inspections since the pandemic. 

Amanda Spielman, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, has warned that recruitment and staffing problems are rife across the whole education and care system, from early years to colleges and independent training providers. “Fewer college staff can result in larger class sizes of mixed abilities, making it difficult to pitch training at the right level,” the report states.

Low salaries and “staff reconsidering their careers after the pandemic” are to blame to staffing shortages in providers, according to the report.

Sixth form and FE college quality hits new high

The report analyses the performance of colleges, training providers, adult and community education providers and some higher education institutions for the 2021/22 academic year. FE Week analysed the results of those inspections prior to the annual report.

The FE and skills sector’s overall performance has stayed the same as a headline level – 82 per cent good or ‘outstanding’ – as last year. However this hides some improvements in performance in some areas and declines in performance in others.

The proportion of all colleges now at ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ has increased 11 percentage points to 91 per cent.

Here are the key findings for FE and skills from today’s report…

Improving first inspections

The number of new providers achieving ‘good’ inspection outcome at their first inspection has improved by 14 percentage points compared to pre-Covid 2018/19. 

According to Ofsted 65 per cent of the 330 providers that received their first full inspection this year scored a ‘good’ or better for overall effectiveness.

Inspectors put the improvement in performance of new providers to the introduction of new provider monitoring visits in 2018, the ESFA’s register of apprenticeship training providers and “the efforts of providers themselves.”

Inspecting exempt providers

Ofsted say a focus of theirs this year has been inspecting providers that have not been inspected for a long time because of a previous ‘outstanding’ grade. 

In 2021/22, 31 formerly exempt providers were inspected. Of those 14 retained their ‘outstanding’ grade, 14 were judged ‘good’ and three fell two grades to ‘requires improvement’. 

Ofsted says apprenticeship inspection grades have fallen slightly

Seventy-seven per cent of providers inspected this year achieved either a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ grade or at least ‘reasonable progress’ at a new provider monitoring visit. This is down four percentage points on last year. 

Ofsted cited poorly co-ordinated on- and off-the-job training, poor preparation for end-point assessments and narrow curricula as common reasons for ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ apprenticeship inspections. 

Some apprentices are still making slow progress due to the pandemic, Ofsted has said. The report highlights that some are still having to continue beyond their planned end dates in sectors that were hardest hit, such as hospitality, travel and health and social care.

Prison education slammed

The dire state of the quality of education in prisons is perhaps the most damning section in today’s report.  

Of the 22 prison education services inspected in 2021/22, half were judged ‘inadequate’, 10 were judged ‘requires improvement’ and one scored ‘good’. 

Ofsted has said that high levels of staff absence among prison staff and contractors is having a damaging effect on the quality of education. As a result, too few prisoners are able to access education and training and there are backlogs in assessing additional learning needs. 

Inspecting T Levels

Too many teachers didn’t feel prepared to teach T Levels, Ofsted has said today, repeating its concerns from its T Levels research earlier this year. 

Shortages in specialist staff to deliver T Levels and the impact of the pandemic in some sectors also meant had an impact on the quality of industry placements, Ofsted have reiterated today.

Still too much online learning

What’s behind the spate of ‘inadequate’ SEND college inspection results?

Today’s report echoes Ofsted’s education recovery research which found that there were cases where online learning was being used without clear benefits to apprentices and learners.

“We are concerned that a small number of providers continue to teach programmes substantially to entirely online, with no clear benefit for learners” today’s report states.

Specialist colleges perform poorly overall

As previously reported by FE Week, a large proportion of independent specialist colleges received poor inspection judgements this year. Only 47 per cent independent specialist colleges were judged good or outstanding, 31 per cent require improvement and 22 per cent were found to be inadequate.

High needs provision across other providers fared much better in inspections this year. In total, 84 per cent scored ‘good’ or better for high needs, 15 per cent ‘require improvement’ and one was judged ‘inadequate’.

Subcontracting and ‘too comfortable’ governors top FE Commissioner concerns for colleges

The FE Commissioner has repeated her warning over colleges’ use of subcontracting in her latest annual report. 

Now in her second year as FE Commissioner, Shelagh Legrave also said colleges’ vulnerability to cyber-attacks and the number of “too comfortable” governors that have served more than ten years are what she sees as “persistent problems”.

The report repeats Legrave’s concerns over the quality of oversight of subcontracting first revealed by FE Week at the AoC’s annual conference in November. The Commissioner claims that economic climate is making learner recruitment harder for colleges and therefore more likely to turn to subcontracting to fulfil their contracts:

“The economic climate is causing more adults to work rather than taking training opportunities, so the temptation for colleges is to use subcontracting as a way of fulfilling contracts. There is a place for local subcontracting, but it is vital that this is overseen appropriately, both from a quality and a funding perspective” the report states.

Deputy FE Commissioner to take the reins at college surviving on bailout money

On governance, Legrave said she is concerned by “the number of boards where governors have served for more than ten years.” Adding: “Whilst the time given by these governors as volunteers is hugely appreciated, it is often too comfortable a relationship with the senior team.”

Legrave first warned that some colleges were withdrawing from “priority courses” in her interview with FE Week last month, highlighting that the colleges “can’t find the staff to deliver them.” 

She goes slightly further in her annual report this year, saying: “Some colleges are having to withdraw some T Level courses due to lack of staff to deliver them, with shortages extending to support services too.”

The Department for Education have been approached to clarify which colleges have had to withdraw from T Level delivery due to staff shortages.

Commissioner intervention

Just three intervention reports have been published by the FE Commissioner over this reporting period; City Lit, Kingston Maurward College and City College Southampton.

Two full intervention assessments took place, both due to financial triggers, the annual report states.

Just one college received a new diagnostic assessment this year, but 25 follow-up visits took place in 22 colleges. One of those was escalated to intervention. 

Nine colleges formally exited intervention this year, a similar number to the ten that exited the year before.

However six of those are still under monitoring through the Commissioner’s new post-intervention monitoring and support (PIMS) category. 

Diagnostic assessments will now be known as health checks and will be offered as part of the FEC’s active support offer and will be available colleges on request, as previously announced. Twenty six diagnostic assessments took place in 21/22, up one from 20/21.

Two structure and prospects appraisals (SPAs) took place, which resulted in the merger of Selby College with Wakefield College, forming the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, in March, and Berkshire College of Agriculture’s merger with The Windsor Forest Colleges Group in July.

This is down from five SPAs in 20/21.

And the national leaders have been busier this year than last having visited 54 principals, CEOs and boards in this reporting year, up from 40 the year before. There are currently 12 national leaders of further education and 8 national leaders of governance. 

One national leader of governance, Andrew Baird, resigned earlier this year after being found to have shared a racist meme on WhatsApp following the appointment of Rishi Sunak as prime minister.

FE Commissioner report in numbers

Wintery conditions cause dozens of college campuses to close

Feature image photo credit: Harlow College

Dozens of college campuses have closed their doors today due to adverse weather conditions, with lessons suddenly moving online for thousands of students. 

Colleges across the country have been affected, with some of those remaining open warning students and staff not to travel unless it’s safe to do so.

The Department for Education has written to college and school leaders this afternoon reminding them to review their emergency contingency plans. 

Estates teams have been praised for doing their best to make walkways, car parks and college building safe after heavy snowfall overnight. 

Classes, student interviews and a parents evening have been affected. Many hope to be able to re-open for face to face learning tomorrow. Bexhill College has already said it will also be closed tomorrow.

In London, Barnet and Southgate has also closed its doors today along with all 8 campuses of London South East Colleges. Capel Manor College has closed its sites in Enfield, north London.

Oaklands College has moved it classes online today having closed its sites in Welwyn Garden City and St Albans.

East Surrey College has cancelled today’s classes and student interviews, according to its website.

Students at South Devon College’s Vantage Point campus in Paignton were sent home this morning due to a loss of heating. This has affected gas supplies and hot water at the campus. All students, except those with on-site exams today, have been told their lessons will resume online from midday.

Cornwall College’s Stoke Climsland campus has been closed and a planned parents evening event has been moved online. Students at its other campuses have been warned only to travel to college if it’s safe to do so. 

And Gloucestershire College has closed due to adverse weather and staff shortages. 

North Hertfordshire College also closed its campuses today for staff and student safety. 

Harlow College, and its Standsted Airport College campuses have also closed today. 

East Sussex College has said “Due to adverse weather conditions and impact on travel arrangements, all lessons have been cancelled today, Monday 12th December.”

Others have been advising students how to keep warm on site. Students at Blackpool Sixth have been advised to “dress appropriately for the time of year” and to tell a member of staff if they’re too warm rather than opening a window.

Colleges have been taking to social media to post pictures of their festive transformations. 

https://twitter.com/HarlowCollege/status/1602229973611339777

Traineeships scrapped amid years of low starts

The government has scrapped its flagship pre-employment skills programme following years of low starts, it has been confirmed.

Reports that emerged over the weekend were confirmed by skills minister Robert Halfon in a written ministerial statement in the House of Commons this morning. 

Halfon said: “The traineeship programme has been running for nearly 10 years and the number of starts has remained relatively low.

“It is right, therefore, that we focus our offer on our mainstream provision. This change will make it easier for young people and employers to navigate our skills offer and will enable providers to better tailor their programmes to deliver the key skills needed to drive growth in local communities.”

From August 1, 2023, provision previously delivered through the traineeships programme will be “integrated” in to 16-19 study programmes for young people and the non-devolved adult education budget for adults. Mayors with devolved skills powers will decide what’s best for their areas, the statement says.

Official figures published last month showed there were 15,500 traineeship starts recorded in 2021/21 – just 36 per cent of the 43,000 target. It comes despite the Treasury investing £126 million in traineeships in 2021/22 and £111 million being pumped into the pre-employment programme the year before, when 17,400 starts were recorded against a target of 36,700.

Halfon points to “great alternatives” to traineeships, “such as T Levels and the T Level transition programme, bootcamps, apprenticeships, and sector-based work academies.”

However the body representing training providers as slammed the government’s decision as “an unmitigated disaster for social mobility.”

Jane Hickie portrait
Hickie

Jane Hickie, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), said:

“Axing traineeships would be incredibly short-sighted. The government’s own research on traineeships shows their effectiveness. Around three-quarters of all trainees have successful outcomes – either taking on work, starting an apprenticeship or further study – within 12 months.”

AELP has warned that the government’s plans to end funding for those currently with a 16-18 traineeships contract, but not a wider 16-19 study programmes contract “could be the final nail in the coffin for many” providers in light of rising costs of delivery in the training market.

Of the 136 providers with 16-18 traineeship contract allocation in 2021/22, only one, South West Regional Assessment Centre Limited received a wider 16-19 contract as a designated special post-16 institution.

“To announce this decision, without any form of consultation – and right before Christmas – is incredibly poor form,” Hickie said, adding: “Coupled with the planned level 2 and below reforms, this could be an unmitigated disaster for social mobility, by limiting access to skills training at entry level.”

Earlier this year FE Week revealed that more than half – £65 million – of the 2020/21 traineeships budget had to be handed back to the Treasury. A bigger underspend is now expected for 2021/22.

Some 290 training providers and colleges currently receive procured or allocated budgets for traineeships, ranging from £3.2 million at Strode College for 19-24 traineeships (procured) to Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which was allocated £5,500 for 19-24 traineeships.

Introduced as a flagship pre-employability programme in 2013, eligible 16 to 24-year-olds were funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency for pre-employment training and unpaid work placements from six weeks to one year, although most last for less than six months.

But traineeship starts have been on a rapid decline, from a high of 24,100 in 2015/16 down to just 12,100 in 2019/20.

Ministers saw traineeships as a good route to help get young people back into training and work after the Covid-19 pandemic and decided to back the programme with more funding.

Officials have made numerous pleas with traineeship providers to rapidly boost their recruitment over the past two years.

But providers have often warned that the lack of learner incentive means that traineeships are currently limited to those willing and able to take on a placement without getting paid.

Others have argued that other government programmes that do offer payment, like Kickstart and apprenticeships, have systematically displaced traineeships.

Ending traineeships could be devastating for young learners
Ending traineeships makes room for something better