PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Apprentices (7 October 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of intermediate level apprenticeship starts for young people under the age of 19 between May 2019 and May 2020; and what steps his Department is taking to increase support for apprentices under 19 at that level.

Asked by:
Karin Smyth (Labour)

Apprenticeship starts across all levels and across all ages have reduced between May 2019 and May 2020, by 58% overall. Starts at Intermediate level have reduced by 73% on average but the reduction has been more pronounced amongst the 16-18 year-old group at 80%, compared to 75% for 19-24 year-olds and 68% for those over the age of 25. The reduction is starts at advanced and higher levels is 61% and 21% respectively.

Data from March 2020 onwards includes the period affected by COVID-19 and the nationwide lockdown, therefore, extra care must be taken in comparing and interpreting data from this period to earlier months as the COVID-19 outbreak has affected provider behaviour in terms of the reporting of FE and apprenticeship learning during the affected period, and this could vary by provider.

This change in intermediate starts has largely occurred where apprenticeships were struggling to meet the minimum quality standards required by our reforms. We have replaced old-style frameworks, which apprentices and employers told us were not providing the skills they needed, with new employer-designed standards. All new apprentices now start on high-quality standards, following the withdrawal of frameworks in July.

Apprenticeship standards and frameworks are different products. It was previously possible to undertake a framework for the same job at different levels, but on standards there is just one level per occupation. The level of the standard refers to the level an apprentice reaches at the end of the apprenticeship once they are occupationally competent not at the beginning, and this is determined by employers.

Traineeships can help young people build the skills they need to undertake an apprenticeship or other job, and we are tripling the number of places in the 2020/21 academic year so that more young people have access to high-quality training.

Apprenticeships are more important than ever in helping people of all ages develop the skills they need and supporting our economic recovery. To encourage employers to offer new apprenticeship opportunities, to people of all ages and at all levels, we have introduced incentive payments. Employers are now able to claim £2,000 for every new apprentice they hire under the age of 25 between 1 August 2020 and 31 January 2021, and £1,500 for those 25 and over.

We are working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to enable Kickstart placements to turn into apprenticeships where that is the right thing for the employer and the individual. Employers offering apprenticeships to young people on the placements will be able to claim the new incentive.

We want to expand apprenticeship opportunities and are exploring with employers how we can make apprenticeships work better in certain sectors, for example those with more flexible and short-term models of employment. We also want to ensure we grow the number of small and medium-sized enterprisess offering apprenticeships and are continuing to work with smaller employers to give them the confidence and support to take on new apprentices.

Answered by:
Gillian Keegan (Conservative)
12 October 2020