Apprenticeship Reforms: Breaking Barriers or Lowering Standards?

The government has announced a significant shake-up to apprenticeship requirements, confirming that English and maths Functional Skills exit requirements will be removed for adult apprentices with immediate effect. Additionally, the minimum duration of apprenticeships will be reduced from 12 to eight months from the next academic year.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson revealed these changes as part of National Apprenticeship Week, positioning them as a move to cut bureaucracy and increase apprenticeship uptake. The Department for Education (DfE) estimates that these reforms could lead to 10,000 additional apprentices per year completing their programmes.

What the Changes Mean

The removal of the Functional Skills exit requirement applies to apprentices aged 19 and over, meaning they will no longer need to pass Level 2 English and maths courses to complete their apprenticeship. This change is effective immediately and applies to both new and existing apprentices.

However, the rule remains in place for 16-to-18-year-old apprentices, who will still be required to pass Level 2 Functional Skills exams to complete their apprenticeship. This decision has raised concerns among sector leaders, who warn that maintaining the requirement for young apprentices could further discourage employers from hiring them.

A Step Forward or a Missed Opportunity?

The DfE has framed these changes as a means to drive growth in critical sectors, particularly healthcare, social care, and construction. A department spokesperson highlighted that by removing this barrier, apprentices in high-demand industries will be able to focus more on their paid work while still being assessed on core English and maths skills relevant to their occupation.

While this reform is expected to boost completion rates, some in the sector have raised concerns about the potential impact on overall literacy and numeracy levels among the workforce. The challenge for providers will be ensuring that English and maths skills remain a core part of apprenticeship training without being an unnecessary obstacle to completion.

The Long Road to Reform.

This reform is just the latest chapter in a long history of skills policy changes in this area, dating back to the early 2000s when Key Skills were replaced by Functional Skills. I have lived through these changes—not just as a bystander, but as someone directly affected.

I have sat across from apprentices in tears, overwhelmed by a maths exam they just couldn’t pass, stuck on an ICT spreadsheet that wouldn’t add up, or frustrated at being forced to retake a subject they struggled with for 11 years in school. Functional Skills have been both a vital lifeline and an insurmountable barrier. Removing these exit requirements for adult apprentices is a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t address the deeper issue: why so many learners reach adulthood still lacking these skills in the first place.

I speak from experience. I failed my GCSEs in maths and English and had to complete Key Skills at Catering College just to move forward. Later, as a work-based tutor, I had to retake Functional Skills to remain compliant in the sector. More recently, I was required to upgrade my English Communication Key Skill to Functional Skills in English as part of my Senior Leader Apprenticeship. I have experienced this system from all angles—as a learner, an assessor, and an IQA. The problem has never been the qualifications themselves but the way they have been bolted on, tweaked, repackaged, and then rigidly enforced at the EPA Gateway.

Yet, despite these challenges, I have seen the incredible impact Functional Skills can have when delivered with the right support. One apprentice I worked with in 2014—let’s call him Apprentice “L”—is a perfect example. He had dropped out of school at 13 and spent years classified as NEET, working as a kitchen porter with his mum, with little hope for the future. When he started a Level 2 Commis Chef apprenticeship, he was required to complete Level 1 Functional Skills in maths and English. With support from myself and a dedicated Functional Skills tutor, he not only passed but went on to achieve Level 2 as part of his Level Three Hospitality Supervision NVQ (remember those?). Today, he has a career because that qualification gave him a second chance.

Functional Skills qualifications can be barriers, but they can also be stepping stones. The difference lies in the support and flexibility we provide. As a Functional Skills assessor, I have seen how these qualifications can either empower or discourage learners, depending on how they are embedded within the apprenticeship journey.

The Future of Apprenticeships: Balancing Quality and Flexibility

The reduction in the minimum apprenticeship duration from 12 to eight months marks another bold reform. While aimed at increasing flexibility, it raises questions about whether shorter apprenticeships can maintain the same quality of learning and development. The sector will be watching closely to see how providers adapt their programmes to accommodate this shift.

As the government pushes forward with these changes, the challenge for apprenticeship providers and employers will be balancing flexibility with rigour. Ensuring that apprenticeships remain robust while making them more accessible, will be crucial in maintaining their credibility and long-term success.

With updated funding rules expected soon, the coming months will be critical in shaping how these reforms are implemented and whether they truly deliver on their promise of expanding apprenticeship opportunities across the country.

Final Reflections

As someone who has navigated this system as a learner, assessor and IQA, I see both the advantages and pitfalls of these reforms. Removing barriers to success is important, but we must not lose sight of the value that English and maths skills bring to individuals and the workforce. The key is to deliver these qualifications in a way that supports rather than obstructs achievement.

Apprentices like “L” demonstrate the power of accessible education. He, like many others, needed a second chance—an approach that met him where he was rather than where the system expected him to be. I hope these reforms mark the beginning of a more inclusive, flexible apprenticeship landscape—one that empowers learners rather than limiting them.

By Thomas Burton, Head of Apprenticeship Delivery, York St John University