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Apprenticeships are a vital tool that support students’ progress from education into employment, not only do apprenticeship schemes help upskill the next generation, they allow businesses to invest in the future of their companies and can also help fill skills gaps in the labour market.
Despite these benefits, apprenticeship numbers in the UK have continued to decline since 2011, when the coalition government initiated a push for apprenticeships. Several factors have contributed to this trend, including higher university enrolment rates, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis. The introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in 2017, announced in 2015 under David Cameron’s government and enacted under Theresa May, has also played a significant role in this decline.
The current Labour government in its recent election campaign promised a total reform of the ‘broken’ apprenticeships system, aiming to ‘create higher-quality training and employment paths by empowering local communities to develop the skills people need’, putting ‘employers at the heart of our skills system.’
One of the key measures proposed by Sir Keir Starmer’s government to revitalise UK apprenticeships is by scrapping the previous Apprenticeship Levy, replacing it with the new Skills and Growth Levy. The Apprentice Levy has been the subject to much criticism, not only being deemed as too rigid and bureaucratic, but also focusing more on high level apprenticeships which created a skills gap. The levy was also have said to have an increased preference on upskilling existing staff, limiting the creation of new job opportunities.
The new Skills and Growth Levy is focusing on what the previous legislation fell short off, aiming to address these shortcomings, with several key improvements:
- An increase in flexibility which will see a wider variety of both traditional apprenticeship options as well as alternate types of training programmes.
- Increased focus on sectors with a lack of skilled workers, which will increase employment levels and address skill shortages. This includes upskilling existing employees in rapidly developing sectors such as Tech and Green practise.
- Small and medium sized enterprises will have easier access to available funds for apprenticeship programmes and training.
The new Levy has been welcomed with positivity and optimism. Corndel, one of the UK’s leading apprenticeship providers commented: “We welcome the changes as greater flexibility will benefit employers and allow more employees to benefit from gaining new skills.”
Another initiative introduced by Labour to combat the decrease in apprenticeships is Skills England, in the government’s own words “Skills England will play a critical part in the government’s mission to drive growth across the country, supporting people to get better jobs and improve their standard of living.”
In practical terms, Skills England will oversee training initiatives, setting strategic priorities and managing funding distribution for training programmes nationwide. The body will collaborate with employers and training providers, ensuring that workforce training aligns closely with the evolving needs of the economy and job market.
Since launching our Apprenticeships Framework in 2018, YPO has delivered over 1,030 apprenticeships across various public sector roles. Our framework currently offers 284 apprenticeship standards to our customer base, supported by 257 providers across the UK. These standards, aligned with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE), cover diverse fields, from healthcare and teaching to technology and policing.
Procurement frameworks offer numerous benefits for managing apprenticeships, especially given the pressures faced by the public sector. By using a trusted procurement professional to handle apprenticeship schemes, organisations can reduce operational stress. YPO ensures that apprenticeships are cost-effective, time-efficient, fully compliant with government standards and funding requirements, and quality-assured. Frameworks also make apprenticeship programmes more accessible to SMEs, which may lack a dedicated procurement team.
If simplifying the apprenticeship process is something your organisation is interested in, you can find out more information – Apprenticeship Framework.
With a new government comes new approaches, and apprenticeships are no exception. The Growth and Skills Levy is set to replace the Apprenticeship Levy, and Skills England will ensure training aligns with current skills gaps. But what do these changes mean for the emergency services?
To explore how the new apprenticeship policies may impact the emergency services sector, join our upcoming webinar with YPO and an expert panel on 21 November at 2pm. This session will dive into what these reforms could mean for skill development, training options and workforce planning. Register here to secure your spot.
