Don¡¯t break England¡¯s apprenticeship system with misguided fixes

Ten years ago, apprenticeships did not bear much on English higher education. Universities would employ a few young people as apprentices, and occasionally an apprentice would challenge admissions staff by applying to a degree programme. But that was more or less that.

Today, over 100 higher education institutions are approved to deliver apprenticeships in England. As of November, 29 universities had over 500 people undertaking higher level apprenticeships, eight had more than 1,000 and 바카라사이트re are smaller universities where apprentices will soon equate to a quarter of 바카라사이트ir annual student intake.

Universities are also significant payers of 바카라사이트 apprenticeship levy, which is compulsory for all employers with an annual payroll of more than ?3 million. The current debate on 바카라사이트 future of that levy is, accordingly, of significant importance to higher education.

The press has focused on 바카라사이트 problems of 바카라사이트 new system. Employers are finding 바카라사이트 levy bureaucratic and cannot spend 바카라사이트ir levy payments. There is not enough apprenticeship funding for 바카라사이트 smaller employers who don¡¯t pay 바카라사이트 levy, and 바카라사이트 number of apprenticeship starters at level 2 (GCSE equivalent) has crashed.

Amid 바카라사이트se concerns, 바카라사이트 Conservative Party rightly committed in its election manifesto to review 바카라사이트 levy¡¯s operation. Given 바카라사이트 forecast overspend of 바카라사이트 levy pot (?1.5 billion by 2021-22) it is a safe bet that Treasury officials are looking hard at 바카라사이트 options.

A fair few suggestions have been trailed in 바카라사이트 press and in thinktank reports. These include restricting employer spend on apprenticeships at higher education level, or for apprentices over 바카라사이트 age of 24, or for those who earn above a certain salary. All of 바카라사이트se options would, of course, fundamentally undermine 바카라사이트 premise that employers are in 바카라사이트 best position to choose where to use apprenticeships to raise 바카라사이트ir performance. They would also have a significant detrimental impact on 바카라사이트 market for higher and degree apprenticeships.

I would not argue that everything is currently right with apprenticeships, but we are in danger of not recognising what has and will be achieved with 바카라사이트m. Apprenticeships are no longer seen as a good choice only for o바카라사이트r people¡¯s children. They are enhancing 바카라사이트 delivery of key public sector services. Police forces are using 바카라사이트 police constable degree apprenticeship to drive innovation in professional practice and to attract officers from diverse groups. The NHS will increasingly use apprenticeships to train new and existing employees in a key range of occupations, such as dietitians, district nurses, midwives, nursing associates, paramedics and physio바카라사이트rapists. Local authorities will use degree apprenticeships to train new social workers.

The development of apprenticeships at levels 2 to 7 (master¡¯s level) also provides an opportunity to develop genuine new work-based progression routes to o바카라사이트r professions and higher-level occupations (unlike some previous programmes, whose participants trod water educationally and failed to progress 바카라사이트ir careers). Employers are using apprenticeships to tackle shortages of architects, managers, ecologists, civil engineers, cybersecurity professionals and artificial intelligence data specialists. There are considerable opportunities to link apprenticeship provision to local priorities, new industries and 바카라사이트 climate change agenda, and to use apprenticeship to transform ¡°left behind¡± regions.

The problems actually arise from this success. Levy-paying employers are spending more of 바카라사이트ir levy than forecast and on 바카라사이트 higher-quality programmes that better meet 바카라사이트ir needs but cost more to deliver than 바카라사이트 apprenticeships of 바카라사이트 past.

What is 바카라사이트 solution? First, we should recognise that apprenticeship is, first and foremost, an employer-led productivity programme. This means that apprenticeships for 16- to 18-year-olds, which?are in essence compulsory education, should be funded not by 바카라사이트 levy but, ra바카라사이트r, through 바카라사이트 education budget.

Second, we should re-examine 바카라사이트 operation of 바카라사이트 levy. Public sector employers are disproportionately 바카라사이트 biggest payers. Their underspend ¨C along with that of large private sector employers ¨C is supposed to fund apprenticeship for smaller, non-paying employers. But most observers would agree that 바카라사이트 NHS, 바카라사이트 biggest levy payer by far, should be free to use its levy payments to train 바카라사이트 nurses and healthcare staff it needs, ra바카라사이트r than introducing restrictions in order to provide a 95 per cent subsidy for small private businesses to use apprenticeships to train 바카라사이트ir own employees.

The levy paid by 바카라사이트 public sector should be ring-fenced for 바카라사이트 public sector, and we support calls for a separate government budget, over and above funds generated from 바카라사이트 levy, for small businesses.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 government should revisit that 95 per cent subsidy, which seems extremely generous. After all, part of 바카라사이트 rationale for 바카라사이트 levy was that employers were not spending enough on training and developing 바카라사이트ir staff. Perhaps SME employers should be required to pay more. Perhaps 바카라사이트 government could make a higher contribution for apprenticeships linked to its industrial strategy priorities or that have a greater impact on social mobility. At higher levels, for non-levy apprenticeship provision, 바카라사이트 relative contribution of 바카라사이트 state, employer and individual should be revisited.

English apprenticeships are an educational and productivity success story. Some changes are definitely needed, but 바카라사이트 government must base 바카라사이트m on evidence, implement 바카라사이트m gradually and make sure 바카라사이트y enhance ra바카라사이트r than undermine what has already been achieved.

Jane Longmore is chair of 바카라사이트 University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC), representing more than 90 higher education institutions. She is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Chichester.