Apprenticeships: Building life skills and developing a world view

Education is an enabler, empowering individuals to secure decent work and to improve their life chances. We have heard, many times, the message that ‘A good education is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet when it comes to making people’s lives better’, including from the current Prime Minister. We know that education can transform the lives of individuals and communities.

The value of apprenticeships

Apprenticeships form an important part of our technical education landscape, and for many they serve as the ladder to successful employment. They support lifelong learning and social mobility and irrespective of an individual’s age, ethnicity, socio-economic status or locality, they provide pathways to progression. Young learners are supported to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours for sector specific roles, and adults are supported to upskill or retrain at any stage of their career or life.

For some individuals, apprenticeship success could be the doorway to transition into a new and exciting career. For others, it could mean a step up the career ladder. Ensuring that adult apprenticeships are accessible and inclusive could help to address the UK’s current high economic inactivity rate, especially for older workers, by supporting people to stay in work, or to gain employment that suits their needs and interests.

Apprenticeships empower individuals to make informed decisions, to be global citizens responsible for their actions, taking their best next steps, while futureproofing for the next generation. They are an integral part of quality education, providing progression pathways to further and higher technical study and employment.

Skills for the future

Apprenticeships are vital for increasing technical skills and addressing the UK’s economic recovery, but they also develop the life skills of individuals and their world view. We are preparing apprentices for the world of work that is constantly being shaped by technological advancements. And of course, we’re preparing them for the work of the world, as we strive to achieve Net Zero targets and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The Department for Education has an ambitious vision for the UK to have a world leading education sector in sustainability and climate action by 2030 and to be known as world class by nature, realising its ambition to be a global science superpower. Technical skills will lie at the heart of job opportunities, enabling the UK’s future economic, social and environmental prosperity. Skills shortages in industry sectors that are a priority for the UK’s sustainable economic recovery and growth must be addressed. We need to invest in the current and future workforce, to identify barriers, problem solve and find the solutions to our current challenges.

Making apprenticeships inclusive

We need to collaborate to achieve this systems level approach, and for this reason I encourage all those involved in apprenticeship delivery to contribute to an inquiry being led by former Labour and Conservative ministers Lord Knight and Lord Willetts in partnership with EngineeringUK. The inquiry, open for evidence until 27 February, is focused on the urgent need to increase the diversity of young people choosing technical pathways and careers in Engineering, Manufacturing and Technology industry sectors, especially individuals from traditionally unrepresented groups: young female engineers, young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Growing an inclusive and diverse technical STEM talent pipeline remains a priority to meet the needs of industry, ensuring that we have a workforce with future-ready skills.

Improving the quality of apprenticeship delivery

Another central priority is ensuring apprenticeships have a positive impact on employment outcomes. In my last article for FE News, I discussed the findings of a recent report from St Martin’s Group and the Learning and Work Institute, which found that 37% of apprentices withdrew from their course prior to completion. One important way of ensuring better outcomes is to improve the quality of apprenticeship delivery.

The Department for Education is significantly investing in Apprenticeship Workforce Development (AWD) as part of its strategy to drive quality improvement across apprenticeships. A new phase of the AWD programme is being delivered by a consortium of five partners with the aim of supporting the sector to deliver high quality apprenticeships. The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) is working alongside AoC, AELP, SDN and UVAC to deliver AWD, with SQW as the independent evaluator.

The existing AWD support offer includes eight online FutureLearn courses as well as a guide to Working effectively with employers. New AWD support will be available over the coming months, having been informed by a training needs analysis of the sector.

One key part of the training needs analysis process involved inviting all those involved in the delivery of apprenticeships to respond to a survey to understand current apprenticeship provider training needs. Conducted in November and December 2022, the survey received more than 1,400 responses in just over two weeks. Responses came from a range of participants from diverse organisations types, job roles and regions. The survey assessed training needs for the delivery of apprenticeships for all ages and at all levels, from intermediate to higher and degree level apprenticeships.

The priorities identified in the survey included: compliance, programme design, quality and programme delivery, working effectively with employers, onboarding, on- and -off the job teaching, training and learning, and progress reviews (see just a few examples of the value of these priorities according to different organisation types in our rose diagrams). The survey also assessed cross cutting themes including developing green skills and embedding education for sustainable development in apprenticeships, prioritising equality, diversity and inclusion, British Values, Prevent and safeguarding, careers education information, advice and guidance, to provide a few examples.

The survey results form one part of a broader analysis of training needs, which involves focus groups, sector research, and the deep knowledge and expertise of all delivery partners. This process will enable the design and delivery of CPD that will meet the needs of the sector. The training needs analysis of the apprenticeship workforce will be continually assessed to ensure future CPD continues to meet those needs.

National Apprenticeship Week: a time for celebration

During National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), 6-12 February, the consortium of partners delivering AWD are joining the entire apprenticeship community in celebrating the achievement of apprentices across the country, and the positive impact apprenticeships make on the lives of individuals, businesses, and the wider economy. We’re also reiterating our thanks to all those who have been involved in helping to shape the development of AWD so far.

As part of NAW, we’re hosting a free webinar on today (10 February) to explore the top challenges and opportunities for apprenticeship providers, share insights from our sector-wide survey on the CPD needs of the sector, and highlight upcoming CPD. All colleagues involved in the delivery of apprenticeships are invited to join and have their questions answered.

As we take the time this week to celebrate the value of apprenticeships, it’s worth coming back to the chosen theme of this year’s NAW: skills for life. As we’ve discussed, apprenticeships not only equip young people and adults with the skills they need in a greener economy and society, they also help individuals to develop life skills and a more positive world view.