Spotlight on Apprenticeships and Social Mobility

Report author Beth Wheaton

Published by Policy Connect Skills Commission (January 2018)

This inquiry sought to test the stated aims of the reform programme against the realities for employers, providers and, above all, apprentices. The Skills Commission has sought to draw out their experiences and compare them to the ambitions of the new system, finding a number of gaps between intention and delivery, particularly for SMEs (small to medium-sized enterprises) and 16- to 18-year-olds. It makes a number of recommendations, primarily concerning access and incentives for participation in the apprenticeship scheme, as well as better monitoring of who benefits from the changes.

The commission has examined a significant breadth of research and brought together a wide range of views, from in-depth studies by leading sector organisations to hearing directly from young people in focus groups. It has drawn out ideas for improving the current reforms to achieve their objectives. Additionally, it has concentrated on identified unintended barriers to access and progression for disadvantaged young people, including persistent cultural as well as practical barriers.

Recommendations

The commission's recommendations are split into five sub-groups:

1) Financial viability

• The government should reconsider what targeted funding support could be provided to disadvantaged families to remove the current disincentive.
• The government should clarify and publicise the sources of financial support available to apprentices, including distributing via training providers, for routine inclusion in induction packs.
• The government should urgently introduce subsidised travel for apprentices, bringing discounts in line with those in full-time education.
• A portion of the levy transfer mechanism to be introduced in 2018 should be ringfenced for SMEs and used to incentivise the recruitment of 16-18 year olds.
• The government should explore the viability of an "apprenticeship premium" based on the pupil premium model as a means of improving the flexibility and reach of the levy in the short term.

2) Access

• The government should help boost success and confidence in applications by young people, by using the Get In Go Far website to link up applicants with existing networks of apprentices.
• The government must review and streamline sources of pre-apprenticeship funding, providing clarity on a commensurate replacement for the European Social Fund and the role of traineeships.

3) Promotion

• The government should spearhead a renewed national publicity campaign around apprenticeships that celebrates their value in their own right, without trying to equate them with a degree. This campaign must engage employers, parents and learners, building on the success of the Get In Go Far campaign.

4) Monitoring & quality

• The Institute for Apprenticeships must monitor closely the extent to which the levy is being used to upskill existing employees.
• Additional support needs should be made available to FE providers to allow them to fully meet the needs of 16-18 learners with below average academic attainment.
• Data collection should mirror that in higher education, including data on social background and routes of progression, to allow monitoring, analysis and corrective action.
• Ofsted should monitor the implementation of the Baker Amendment, to ensure apprenticeships (and other technical routes) are being given equal weight with higher education in schools.

Implications for practice

• There are a vast number of routes and funding streams available to help with employability skills for disadvantaged young people that can help make the transition into an apprenticeship. The role of Level 2 in T-levels also remains unclear. For 16 to 18 year olds, in particular, the apprenticeship reforms are having the unintended consequence of reducing starts at this age.
• The term "apprenticeship" now covers a very broad spectrum of training. The commission would like to see renewed clarity on who apprenticeships are for and what their aims are. Upskilling and workforce development are extremely important, but caution must be exercised that if these types of training begin to displace apprenticeship opportunities for young people, particularly the most disadvantaged, this will be detrimental to social mobility.
• Time must be allowed for employers, providers and learners to familiarise themselves with the reforms, but as new processes are being established by employers and the government, it is vital that social mobility is embedded within these, in order to achieve the ambitious goals around social mobility the government has set itself.

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) represents the interests of over 900 organisations delivering vocational learning and employability support for 380,000 employers

This article is part of CYP Now's Apprenticeships Special Report. Click here for more