Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make a statement about the implications for apprenticeship take-up by 16 to 18 year olds of her Department’s proposals for changes in funding rates for colleges and providers, published on 12 August 2016.

Robert Halfon

Apprenticeships are paid jobs that give young people the chance to reach their potential; acquire transferable skills much valued in the labour market and the apprentice does not have to contribute to the costs of their learning.

Our proposals for how apprenticeships will be paid for in England in the future include incentives for employers taking on younger apprentices – providing a £1,000 cash payment to both the employer and training provider to help with the extra costs of supporting apprentices in this age group and funding 100 per cent of apprenticeship training costs for small employers (with fewer than 50 staff) when they employ 16-18 year old apprentices.

In addition to apprenticeships, our funding priorities focus on providing young adults with the skills they need for sustainable work, including through traineeships; skills training for unemployed adults and English and maths for all those who need it, recognising that these are essential requirements for sustainable employment.

We are encouraging a wide range of people into apprenticeships – our ‘Get In Go Far’ campaign is aimed at 14-24 year-olds, their parents, teachers and employers. This major four-year campaign aims to influence public perceptions, awareness and attitudes towards apprenticeships as a route into a successful career, encouraging more young people to apply and more employers to offer apprenticeship opportunities.

The National Careers Service provides independent, professional advice on careers, skills and the labour market, including on the benefits of apprenticeships and how to apply for vacancies.