The Government has recently announced its intention to overhaul apprenticeship design and delivery in England and comes hot on the heels of the collapse of a major training provider, Elmfield Training, following a BBC Newsnight investigation into its funding arrangements. The Future of Apprenticeships in England: Implementation Plan was published on 28 October 2013 and sets out the Government's plans to put the design and delivery of apprenticeships into the hands of employers, as envisaged by Doug Richard in his Review of Apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships will, in future, be based on standards designed by employers to meet their needs and the needs of their sector. Eight sector-based "Trailblazer" projects (including automotive, energy and utilities and financial services) led by employers and professional bodies and supported by Lord Sainsbury's Gatsby Foundation, will develop new apprenticeship standards and relevant assessment criteria. The standards will set out the level of skill, knowledge and competency required in order to successfully complete an apprenticeship.
All apprenticeships will last for a minimum duration of 12 months without exception, for example for prior attainment. Off-the-job training will continue to be a mandatory requirement of all apprenticeships. This has proved to be difficult to enforce in the past and the Government will explore this as part of the "Trailblazer" projects. English and maths requirements in apprenticeships will be "stepped up gradually" and it is anticipated that the new GCSEs will replace functional skills. All new apprenticeships started in 2017/18 will be based on the new standards and Government funding for the existing frameworks will cease.
The new apprenticeships will be graded, with apprentices being awarded either a pass, merit or distinction on successful completion of an apprenticeship. The Government believes that grading will encourage apprentices to strive for excellence and maximise their usefulness in the labour market.
The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (ASCLA), which currently governs apprenticeship agreements in England, will be amended using the Deregulation Bill which is due to be introduced in Parliament in early 2014. The Government considers that ASCLA is overly prescriptive and incompatible with its plans to reform apprenticeships.
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