WHAT’S NEW IN APPRENTICESHIPS & TRAINEESHIPS? Steve Jenkins NAS/SFA

Apprenticeship Successes In 2013/14 over 440,000 people started an Apprenticeship in England 2 Millionth Apprentice in this Parliament celebrated in DEC 2014 The success rate for achieving the framework is currently 76.4%. The programme is going from strength to strength…with more employers engaging daily with Apprenticeships. 250,000 EMPLOYERS IN 13/14 Employer grant of £1,500 available to support SME’s to employ 16 to 24 year old Apprentices NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP AWARDS THE SKILLS SHOW

What is an Apprenticeship? Apprentices are employed from day 1, and hold a contract of employment! It is a REAL job with training! Off the job training for nationally recognised Qualifications such as NVQs, Technical Certificates & Key/Functional Skills. All apprenticeships minimum of 12 months. Many apprenticeships last much longer, e.g. Engineering is normally 3 to 4 years There is a minimum of 30 hours per week for apprenticeships Entry requirements vary; some require 5 GCSEs A*-C and some don’t Other considerations – motivation, potential, maturity, reliability, eagerness, punctuality, ability to learn, determination But if the employer offers less hours the total duration of the apprenticeship has to extend to take account for the reduction in working week. Learners who cannot undertake 30 hours per week, for example due to caring responsibilities, returning to the workforce, etc., can do reduced hours, but it has to be a minimum of 16 per week, including study time.

Why Consider Becoming an Apprentice? Earn a salary: Average Salaries vary according to Level and Sector Starting salaries can be low, but apprenticeships open doors for career progression with employers Choose from over 170 industries and over 1700 job roles Can progress into university, or up the career ladder 9 out of 10 completed apprentices are in work or education after completing their Apprenticeship

Level of Apprenticeships Different levels of Apprenticeship available Intermediate Apprenticeship Advanced Higher Level 2 12-18 months Equivalent to 5 GCSEs A* - C Level 3 18-48 months Equivalent to 2 A-levels Levels 4,5,6,7 24 months+ Equivalent to foundation degree level + Plus knowledge, competence, and employability skills

Vacancies by Sector Subject Area Aug 2013 to July 2014

Candidate Applications 2013/14 16-18 943,020 19-24 670,849 25+ 124,220 Under 16 81,747 1,819,836

Apprenticeships.gov.uk Apprenticeships.org.uk now Apprenticeships.gov.uk

Apprenticeships online content Apprenticeship content now on direct.gov, as part of the government digital reforms. https://www.gov.uk/further-education-skills/apprenticeships National Apprenticeship Service

Find an Apprenticeship Benefits of the new service include:- Designed for mobile & enhanced keyword and location search Clearer view of the apprenticeship vacancy description Easier registration process User friendly application form Clearer guidance for completing the strengths and skills section Applications dashboard for candidates to easily track applications Candidates using Av for the first time will be directed to the new Find an apprenticeship service. 2 systems will run in parallel until March 2015 National Apprenticeship Service

Find an apprenticeship How to Apply! National Apprenticeship Service

Find an apprenticeship Manage Your Applications

What is a Traineeship? An Education and Training programme to engage young people aged between 16-24 to prepare them for work/apprenticeship by:- Providing work preparation training Providing support with literacy and maths Giving meaningful work experience Providing Support with job search and/or progression into further learning Traineeships advertised on Apprenticeship vacancies/Find an Apprenticeship Traineeships were launched in August 2013, to address the issues for unemployed young people who are not work ready, by providing an engaging programme of :- Work preparation training Support to advance literacy and maths skills Provide real job experience with a quality employer Give individuals support in searching and applying for jobs with training and/or progression into further learning Individuals concerned may have low self esteem, no work experience, poor attitudes to basic skills like time keeping or how to present themselves at interview. The programme looks to address these issues.

Traineeship Policy changes Removal of 16 hour benefit rule Work placement – consecutive weeks Learner eligibility change – Level 2 change for 19-24s from January 2015 and all 24 year olds are now eligible Introduce non regulated work preparation learning for 19-24 year olds to align with 16-18 year olds Minimum standards – providers progressing learners to positive destination JSA claimants are able to participate in a Traineeship programme for up to 30 hours a week without affecting their JSA entitlement, whether doing work preparation, English and maths, work experience, a combination of these elements or any other training. This rule applies only to the Traineeship programme.

Higher Apprenticeships Vince Cable BiS Secretary of State “The Government’s ambition is for it to become the norm for young people to achieve their career goals by going into an Apprenticeship or to university to – in the case of some Higher Apprenticeships – doing both.” Vince Cable BiS Secretary of State

The ‘Highers’ Ambition Programme ambition for Higher Apprenticeships is: to increase take-up to 20,000 starts between Aug 2013 to July 2015 to offer higher level vocational routes as a choice on equal parity with an academic only option to provide simple to access route for employers & employees to position Apprenticeships (all levels) as a positive choice for young people and adults, and their employers and parent Additional funding (£60m) has been made available to support Higher Apprenticeships – Level 4, 5, 6 and 7. NOW Released (Sep 2014)

New standard Higher Apprenticeships: There are 49 Frameworks with over 80 different pathways Level 4: Actuarial Technician, Construction technician, Conveyancing technician, Cyber intrusion analyst, Dental practice manager, Digital media technology practitioner, Network engineer, Professional accounting technician, Software developer, Software tester, Senior chef: culinary arts Level 5: Dental Technician Level 6: Chartered legal executive, Control/Technical support engineer, Electrical/Electronic technical support engineer, Manufacturing engineer, Product design & development engineer, Licensed conveyancer, Professional accountant, Relationship Manager (Banking) Level 7: Solicitor Additional funding (£60m) has been made available to support Higher Apprenticeships – Level 4, 5, 6 and 7. NOW Released (Sep 2014) In November 2013 Autumn Statement announced additional £40m available to support Level 4 Apprenticeships until July 2015. In March 2014 a further £20m ring fenced to support HE in Higher Apprenticeships (Level 5 -7) until March 2016 The aim is to enable employer contributions and to replace student loans and bring Higher Apprenticeships in to line with the rest of the Apprenticeships programme. Single Funding Route for HE/FE for the first time via SFA 18

APPRENTICESHIP REFORMS High quality Higher expectations of English and Maths, more assessment at end of Apprenticeship and introducing grading. Simple Complex frameworks to be replaced by standards of around one page written by employers. Employer driven Ensuring rigorous training that will support economic growth The Reform Programme is set out in The Future of Apprenticeships in England; Implementation Plan, published in October 2013. The key measures aim to: Increase the quality of Apprenticeships. An apprentice will need to demonstrate their competence through rigorous and synoptic assessment. This will focus on the end of the Apprenticeship to ensure that the apprentice is ready to progress. • Put employers in the driving seat. In future, Apprenticeships will be based on standards designed by employers. • Simplify the system. The new employer-designed standards will be short and easy to understand. They will describe the skills and knowledge that an individual needs to be fully competent in an occupation. 19

What changes are we making to Apprenticeships? Standards designed by employers will replace existing Frameworks New standards will be clear and concise, written by employers and no more than two pages long All Apprenticeships will have an end-point assessment Apprenticeships will be graded for the first time All Apprenticeships last a minimum of 12 months The New employer led standards will eventually replace all Frameworks. The standards will be written by employers and will be clear and concise, often just two pages of A4 All Apprenticeships under the new standards will have an end-point assessment and will be graded. Pass- Merit- Distinction The requirement for end-point assessment is in response to concerns we have heard from employers that apprentices are able to pass qualifications in current frameworks, but the employer does not judge them to be fully competent. The end-point assessment will therefore have to review the apprentice in the round; it must be holistic and test the full breadth of the relevant competencies. Synoptic assessment - requiring the apprentice to identify and use effectively, in an integrated way, an appropriate selection of skills, techniques, concepts, theories and knowledge from across their training and the standard. The end-point assessment must look at the apprentice in the round, be holistic and judge whether or not they are ready to transition from apprentice to a fully competent member of staff. Grading has been introduced to encourage stretch, there must be at least two levels e.g. pass, credit/distinction however some standards have pass, credit and distinction. As a minimum, grading will be applied to the end point assessment. 20

Any Questions? National Apprenticeship Service