apprenticeships | FE Week

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 […]

No Birmingham colleges make apprenticeships register

The nation’s second largest city may not have an FE college delivering apprenticeships when the levy launches in April, as none of its colleges has made it onto the new register of apprenticeship training providers. Birmingham Metropolitan College, Bournville College, South and City College and Solihull College were all missing from the list published by […]

Colleges delivering hundreds of apprenticeships ‘surprised’ to be left off new provider register

A number of major apprenticeship delivering colleges are “stunned”, “disappointed” and “frustrated” at not being on the new Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers. As reported by FE Week, the Skills Funding Agency yesterday published the full list of providers that will be eligible to deliver apprenticeships from May. Among the colleges with significant current apprenticeship […]

Company shuts down just days before SFA gives them green light for apprenticeship delivery

Update, November 1, 2017: The company has now confirmed to FE Week that it is continuing to operate, following a change of ownership. A private training provider is on the new Register of Apprenticeship Training Provider despite having ‘ceased trading’. Hertfordshire-based Apple Training Academy is listed as a main provider on the list published […]

Is it ethical to apply the apprenticeship levy to charities?

The levy will force charities to create new apprenticeships or lose the money to private business, which raises ethical issues, says Steve Woolcock This year’s national apprenticeship week will be the last before the apprenticeship levy kicks in on 1 April. As the day draws nearer, many large organisations have been preparing to deal with […]

Exclusive: Third largest awarding organisation pulls out of apprenticeship market

Awarding giant OCR has delivered a major blow to the government’s reforms programme by pulling out of delivering final apprenticeship exams altogether, FE Week can reveal. The exam board was previously listed on register of apprentice assessment organisations, as an end-point assessor for the level four network engineer and software developer standards. But an OCR […]