A report from education watchdog Ofsted has found that the apprenticeship sector is systematically failing millions of people around the UK, including schoolchildren, adult learners, SMEs and training providers.
Stewart Segal, Chief Executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP). tells Apprentice Eye about the AELP's stance on the apprenticeship levy, Richard Harrington’s resignation, and whether Jeremy Corbyn will be good for the apprenticeship sector in this exclusive interview.
Ensuring that apprentices are being assessed by the same robust standards, wherever and whenever they may be assessed, is important for all parties along the food chain – from apprentice to employer to the sector at large.
We caught up with Mike Thompson, director of early careers at Barclays, where he heads up the bank’s apprenticeship programme. On the agenda was the apprenticeship levy, whether David Cameron is improving the apprenticeship sector, opportunities for the disabled and how Barclays is helping the over-24s.
David Cameron is set to outline the government’s plans to increase the number of UK apprenticeships. He has also released an open consultation document, giving the public a chance to share their ideas on how to pay for the apprenticeship levy.
‘‘A generation of young people from all backgrounds are now securing the GCSEs that help give them the widest range of options later in life - whether looking for a rewarding job or a top apprenticeship,’’ stated Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan.
In this exclusive interview, we speak to John Woodcock, Labour MP for Barrow and Furness and recently appointed shadow skills minister, about the apprenticeship tax, underserved students and what the word ‘‘apprenticeship’’ means to him.
Find out what happened when Apprentice Eye attended a debate on the future of apprenticeships in the House of Commons, featuring the views and opinions of shadow skills minister John Woodcock MP.
Now that employers are leading the development of standards for their apprentices, Trailblazer groups will set the industry standards then develop an assessment approach designed to confirm that standards are being met.
George Osborne has announced that all large firms will start paying an apprenticeship tax, days after being publically advised to do so by the government’s skills adviser.
