apprenticeships | FE Week

£1.6 billion bids for ‘markedly oversubscribed’ non-levy procurement

The total value of bids lodged through the now-paused procurement for apprenticeship provision allocations for non-levy-paying employers was around £1.6 billion, almost four times more than the sum available, FE Week has learned. The Education and Skills Funding Agency announced on April 12, that the decision over funding allocations relating to this procurement had been be paused, […]

AELP demands widespread changes to 20 per cent off-the-job apprenticeship training rule

Calls are being made for widespread changes to the minimum 20 per cent off-the-job training apprenticeship rule, in a new report expressing Association of Employment and Learning Providers frustration. According to the government, off-the-job training must amount to “20 per cent of the apprentice’s contracted employment hours across the whole apprenticeship”, but AELP wants more detailed […]

HEFCE to regulate degree apprenticeships

Degree apprenticeships will be regulated by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and not by Ofsted. The news was revealed by the Department for Education this morning, as part of its apprenticeships accountability statement. It comes after FE Week reported in December that Ofsted had been seeking to extend its remit to cover higher-level […]

Influential group of MPs demand action over lack of apprenticeship assessment organisations

Government apprenticeship policies have come in for stern criticism in a new report by MPs, that insisted standards should have at least one approved assessment organisation in place before they’re delivered. The sub-committee on education, skills and the economy, formed from the education and business select committees, gave a total of 36 conclusions and recommendations […]

Ofqual boss: lack of end point assessment organisations is ‘not irresponsible’

Ofqual’s chief regulator has said it’s “not irresponsible” for apprenticeships to be launched without an organisation in place to deliver the final exam. Speaking at FE Week’s Annual Apprenticeship Conference this morning (March 24), Sally Collier (pictured above) also said she “didn’t know” if having just half of approved standards with end point assessment organisation […]

Unsuccessful applicants can reapply for apprenticeships register… but deadline is tight

Providers that feel aggrieved because they did not make it onto the new Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers will be able to reapply from tomorrow – with a quick turnaround needed to get them all in by 5pm on April 7. Apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon (pictured above) made the announcement during education questions in […]

SFA apprenticeship funding rules strengthened to deter employer kick-backs

The apprenticeship funding rules, which come into force from May, have now been updated by the SFA to deter employer kick-backs. In early March the SFA expressed concern over “emerging delivery models that are contrary to the policy intent. “For example, some providers are offering incentives for employers by paying or re-funding them for certain aspects. These […]

Don’t forget work experience in the apprenticeships frenzy

Of course there will be teething troubles as the levy kicks in, but current developments in the apprenticeships arena – the most significant overhaul of the system for more than 30 years – have to be warmly welcomed. Anything that significantly enhances employability, work readiness and job prospects must be good. Many of today’s senior […]

I wouldn’t ‘trust’ the new Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers

Many of the colleges and training providers that failed to get on the apprenticeship provider register are red-faced. Not just angry but embarrassed, given some simply failed to comprehensively answer the questions in the tender document. The SFA is sticking to its guns, but I suspect a quick reapplication will result in this being a […]