Skip to content
22 April 2026

Tag: IfA

Institute for Apprenticeships remains the favourite option for EQA

The Institute for Apprenticeships continues to be the dominant external quality assurance (EQA) provider of choice for most Trailblazer groups – even though it describes itself as the “option of last resort”. As a result, concerns are deepening across the sector that the government’s own EQA regulator is regulating itself, a situation that Graham Hasting-Evans, managing […]

The employer knows better than the ‘man from the ministry’

The levy was supposed put employers in control – don’t shunt them into the back seat just because you don’t agree with their choice of apprenticeships, argues Adrian Anderson  Through the apprenticeship reforms, ministers rightly put the employer in the driving seat – which created the conditions that enabled the government to introduce the apprenticeship […]

Recipe for confusion concern as IfA seeks up to 150 expert advisers

A call for up to 150 industry experts to join new Institute for Apprenticeships advisory panels, has prompted concerns over a lack of “joined up decisions” with similar bodies planned for technical education. Adverts seeking unpaid panel members to join 15 “prestigious employer-led groups” to help shape the future of the apprenticeship programme were posted […]

Tendering for external quality assurance finally launched

Tendering for the external quality assurance of apprenticeships has finally been launched by the Institute for Apprenticeships – three months after it was originally supposed to go live. The opportunity to apply to deliver EQA services on behalf of the IfA was posted on the gov.uk contracts finder website last night, with a closing date of […]

Technical and FE bill passes: what does it mean for the sector?

The Technical and Further Education Bill received final clearance from the House of Lords this afternoon, and it is expected to be granted royal assent within the next few days. A major consequence of this will be the introduction of an insolvency regime for colleges, which could for the first time allow them to go […]

Institute for Apprenticeships announces route panel chairs and apprentice panel

The Institute for Apprenticeships has appointed the chairs for 15 route panels, and a panel of apprentices to advise the board. The route panels are made up of industry experts and will be responsible for setting the standards of knowledge, skills and behaviours needed by employers for every occupation in England. The chairs will lead their groups […]

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 […]