The Department for Education has been accused of being “short-sighted” after it axed funding for a flagship careers programme focusing on apprenticeships and T Levels.
The Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) Programme is a national scheme aiming to raise awareness of career options with school and college students, teachers and parents since 2015.
Activities ASK funds include assemblies, workshops, mock interviews, training for teachers, and presentations for parents.
But the Department for Education (DfE), which ultimately funds ASK, has confirmed that funding will end from August this year.
In a letter sent to providers, DfE officials said funding will end “given the programme’s success and the tight fiscal climate”.
The news comes only one year after management of the programme was handed from the DfE to the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) – a non-profit quango that describes itself as the “national body for careers education”.
FE Week understands a handful of DfE partner organisations and services including the CEC are expecting cuts to their overall funding this financial year.
‘Truly shocked’
The news has been met with shock and disappointment from local providers, who say the programme has boosted social mobility by ensuring thousands of young people, teachers and parents are aware of their career options outside of academia.
Sharron Robbie, chief executive officer of Devon and Cornwall Training Providers Network, an ASK provider in the south west, said: “We are truly shocked at this news – careers advice especially advice that is impartial, based on local knowledge and expertise is absolutely key to ensuring young people are able to make informed choices about their futures.”
She added that defunding ASK is “short-sighted” as it has helped give apprenticeships “parity” over other post-16 options and helped young people from deprived backgrounds into “sustainable and rewarding careers”.
The DfE recently committed £3.4 million for ASK, with £2.14 million paid last financial year and £1.27 million this year, according to grant agreements published last year.
While ASK is managed nationally by CEC, supported by Amazing Apprenticeships, it is regionally overseen by four regional prime contractors, who in turn contract delivery out to a network of local providers.
A DfE spokesperson declined to comment on funding cuts to the CEC and other organisations, arguing that figures yet to be “finalised” and the department does not comment on “speculation”.
Support still exists
The spokesperson pointed to the volunteer apprenticeship and T Level ambassador networks as alternative sources of information.
They said: “Many schools and colleges have established links with technical education providers and networks.
“There is a range of digital and in-person support available to raise awareness of apprenticeships and technical education, including through the apprenticeship and T Level ambassador networks and other local support, coordinated through the Careers and Enterprise Company’s national network of careers hubs.”
A spokesperson for CEC said: “The Careers & Enterprise Company wants to extend its sincere thanks to all providers for their work in delivering this programme and supporting young people.
“At CEC, we remain fully committed to ensuring every young person can access high-quality careers education and meaningful pathways into the world of work.
“Supporting schools and colleges in helping young people explore apprenticeships and technical education to help every young person find their best next step remains a core priority for us.”
Alex Miles, managing director of ASK provider Yorkshire Learning Providers, said it was “the wrong time” to withdraw funding given incoming apprenticeship reforms and rising youth inactivity levels.
She added: “I’ve agreed to invest some of our reserves to continue the activity because I think it’s completely wrong for social mobility that school engagement stops on a knife edge.”
Simon Ashworth, deputy CEO of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said: “Given that the government’s stated ambition in wanting more young people to take up apprenticeships or technical education pathways, we are disappointed that the Apprenticeship Support & Knowledge (ASK) programme will not be extended and will end this summer.
“This is a programme that’s helped raise awareness of apprenticeships in schools through thousands of bespoke interventions – not just for young people, but for teachers too.”
Your thoughts