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Skills for the future: Apprenticeships and training (2024)

Skills for the future: Apprenticeships and training: IET comments to the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee on 30 May 2024.

The IET has responded to a Call for Evidence (CfE) by the House of Lords Industry and Regulators committee. This CfE inquiry will examine whether the UK’s current systems and policies for apprenticeships and in-work training are working and, if not, how they should be reformed.

The IET agrees that the UK’s apprenticeship scheme and training capabilities are integral to the future of the engineering and technology sectors. Fostering agility, flexibility and allowing employers to upskill and reskill will enable the UK to keep pace with the everchanging technological landscape and better prepare for the skills required for the future.

The IET recommended that there should be:

  • Reform the apprenticeship levy to allow for unused funds to be utilised in establishing an agile skills funding pot, which is accessible for upskilling in areas of technological skill deficit.
  • Sustained support and commitment to adoption of emerging technologies.
  • Targeted support for small to medium enterprises (SME’s), for example, reintroduce a £1,000 financial incentive for SMEs offering placements.
  • Better promotion of T-Level and apprenticeship routes in schools and colleges.
  • Encourage education and industrial collaboration to enable a more seamless transition from education to industry.
  • Early and insightful careers advice, which plays a vital role in guiding students towards fulfilling educational and career trajectories.
  • Maintain end-point assessments for apprenticeships to ensure a high standard and maintain the reputation of apprenticeships.

If you would like to read further on this topic, we also addressed it in our response to the 2024 Spring Budget.