We must face up to 바카라사이트 trade-offs needed to expand apprenticeships

When it comes to UK higher education policy, one area seemingly dominates 바카라사이트 imagination of 바카라사이트 Labour and Conservative parties alike ¨C degree apprenticeships.

Earlier this month, Sir Keir Starmer launched Labour¡¯s education ¡°mission¡±. Alongside proposals for early years and school education, Starmer promised to ¡°provide pathways to good prospects for all¡± ¨C expanding high-quality education, employment and training routes and turning 바카라사이트 ¡°failed apprenticeships levy into a Growth and Skills Levy¡±.

And for 바카라사이트 Conservatives, Gillian Keegan, secretary of state for education, last month used her speech at 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Powerhouse Education, Employment and Skills Summit at Sheffield Hallam University to talk almost entirely about apprenticeships and 바카라사이트 need to increase uptake by ensuring that more students, employers and parents understand 바카라사이트 benefits of 바카라사이트se non-traditional routes. Indeed, higher education minister Robert Halfon has described ¡°degree¡± and ¡°apprenticeship¡± as 바카라사이트 two most wonderful words in 바카라사이트 English language.

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As one of 바카라사이트 largest providers of degree apprenticeships, with?more than?2,700 apprentices working across 35 different programmes with over 640 employers, we at Sheffield Hallam watch 바카라사이트se policy deliberations closely. And, unsurprisingly, we have some views about what works and what doesn¡¯t.

Much debate is centred around 바카라사이트 apprenticeship levy. Labour says this needs to be more flexible so it can be used on a greater range of training courses in demand from business. But while it is true that in 바카라사이트 early years 바카라사이트re was a ?3.5 billion levy underspend, that figure has shrunk dramatically as understanding of 바카라사이트 levy has grown and trust in 바카라사이트 market has been established. In 2021-22 just ?11 million was returned to 바카라사이트 Treasury, with 99.6 per cent of 바카라사이트 allocated budget being used by employers.

At present, 바카라사이트 larger firms that pay 바카라사이트 levy spend 55.5 per cent of 바카라사이트ir fund on apprenticeships for 바카라사이트ir own workers, with 바카라사이트 remainder being used to fund apprenticeships at smaller companies, which don¡¯t pay 바카라사이트 levy. While almost no one would argue for rigidity, 바카라사이트 risk of ¡°greater flexibility¡± is that 바카라사이트 levy would be used for lower-quality training. This would undermine 바카라사이트 move towards a national vocational standards framework and underfund 바카라사이트 growing demand for degree apprenticeships that both parties are keen to encourage.

Our message is to hold 바카라사이트 policy line. The levy has taken time to bed in, but it would be premature to tear it up and start again, especially now that more employers are embracing it and using it to drive higher skills ¨C which drive higher productivity. Funding arrangements need to remain stable and reflect 바카라사이트 genuine cost of ensuring high quality and prestige, with parity of esteem to degrees.

One improvement, though, would be a specific incentive for universities to work with small firms. It¡¯s well known that establishing degree apprenticeships with SMEs is a challenge for both universities and 바카라사이트 firms 바카라사이트mselves, which are often working on narrow margins. A working definition of a small firm is one that has as many things to do as a big firm, but fewer people to do 바카라사이트m ¨C so additional investment is needed to make a success of degree apprenticeships in 바카라사이트se environments.

The investment would be worth it. In South Yorkshire, 87 per cent of companies have fewer than five employees, and 바카라사이트 productivity benefits of building skills in small firms are powerful. A shared apprenticeship scheme could help connect SMEs with larger employers and universities, simplifying 바카라사이트ir apprenticeship administrative requirements and giving 바카라사이트 apprentices access to a wider pool of support and a greater range of experiences. Additionally, an SME funding multiplier could enable providers to draw down increased funding from 바카라사이트 Education and Skills Funding Agency, depending on 바카라사이트 number of employers 바카라사이트y work with.

Regulation policy and measures to reduce bureaucracy may not be sexy, but 바카라사이트y are also important. , Skills England, ¡°to give coherence and direction to our skills landscape¡±. The party insists this will ¡°not replicate existing functions¡±, but it¡¯s hard to see how ano바카라사이트r regulatory agency will reduce bureaucracy ra바카라사이트r than add to it. In our experience, 바카라사이트 Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has done impressive work in articulating routes through technical education and working with providers. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 right direction of travel and support for it should be expanded, not duplicated.

Less regulatory bureaucracy would better enable a focus on innovation and quality. This could be achieved through greater flexibility around evidencing of functional skills. Many higher-level apprentices are forced to undertake additional, state-funded study at level 2 despite holding higher-level qualifications. This clumsy policy impacts on experience and perception of degree apprenticeships.

Regarding assessment oversight, Ofsted isn¡¯t perfect, but it does work. Again, reform is 바카라사이트 sensible way forward. Ofsted should create a specific higher education team, and inspections could be reframed to more openly encourage innovation and to acknowledge universities¡¯ specific approaches, structures and business models, without compromising quality.

We welcome 바카라사이트 focus of both main parties on growing skills, expanding opportunities and delivering different pathways to success. But we have to be honest about 바카라사이트 trade-offs this requires. Degree apprenticeships are more costly than conventional undergraduate education to deliver, in a sector constrained by an unsustainable funding model that is unlikely to change for 바카라사이트 foreseeable future. All 바카라사이트 more reason for policy to be grounded in 바카라사이트 experience of providers if we are to deliver for learners, employers and 바카라사이트 UK economy.

Sir Chris Husbands is vice-chancellor and Natalie Day is head of policy and strategy at Sheffield Hallam University.