The Apprenticeship Levy: Unlocking Potential in Our Schools and Colleges by Robert Halfon

When I served as Apprenticeships and Skills Minister, a picture of JFK adorned my office wall, bearing his famous words about sending man to the moon:

“We do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

This quote has always resonated with me, embodying the spirit of challenge and ambition. Today, I see a parallel challenge in our education sector: fully utilising the apprenticeship levy.

Fully utilising the Apprenticeship Levy

As a long-standing champion of skills and apprenticeships, it is frustrating to see the under-utilisation of this vital resource in our schools and colleges. While some forward-thinking institutions are reaping the benefits, many are losing millions of pounds that could transform staff development, improve the dire statistics of recruitment and retention, and boost educational outcomes.

The apprenticeship levy, introduced in 2017, requires employers with an annual pay bill over £3 million to contribute 0.5% towards apprenticeship training. Yet, less than 22% of the £180 million paid into the levy annually by schools has been spent. This represents a colossal missed opportunity.

Less than 22% of the £180 million paid into the levy annually by schools has been spent

However, some trailblazers are lighting the way, with Training providers like Captiva Learning through the National College of Education (NCE) helping educational institutions make the most of their levy. To take one example, their collaboration with Hackney Education and Hackney’s Apprenticeship Network offers leadership apprenticeships from Level 3 to Level 7, including programs for Team Leaders, Departmental Managers, and Senior Leaders. These programs are tailored to the unique needs of the education sector, with teaching staff comprised of former senior leaders who understand the challenges learners face.

The success of this model in Hackney demonstrates how other local authorities and schools across the country could benefit from similar partnerships.

Other academies like Oasis Community Learning, for instance, offer apprentice roles for Teaching Assistants, Business Administrators, and IT Technicians. By October 2023, their Apprenticeship Programme had garnered praise from Ofsted for its ambitious curriculum and practical impact in classrooms.

Similarly United have almost 3% of their staff engaged in apprenticeship learning. United Learning has shown how to successfully invest in apprenticeships, with Captiva Learning via the NCE providing valuable support in program design and implementation.

Kent County Council has shown similar progress, growing its apprenticeships programme across its local authority schools.

Kent are pro-actively promoting apprenticeships in schools through events, informative sessions, and tailored resources. Their dedicated apprenticeship webpage serves as a valuable link to the latest opportunities. Moreover, the council’s Skills and Employability Service guides schools on apprenticeship implementation and fostering crucial partnerships between education providers, trainers, and employers.

This exemplifies how local authorities can effectively support schools in leveraging the levy.

Good Apprentice providers have been at the forefront of this trend, offering tailored apprenticeship programs that help schools address critical skills shortages while opening new pathways into the teaching profession.

There are of course further opportunities with Degree Apprenticeships – in my view, the two most important words in the English language. The new Teaching degree apprenticeship, which I championed and was initiated by former Education Secretary Gillian Keegan (supported and hopefully expanded by the new Labour Government), will provide excellent opportunities for schools to invest their levy funds wisely. With the support of good training providers schools can ensure they’re making the most of these opportunities.

Recent innovations are expanding these apprenticeships further. In April 2024, the University of Brighton was selected as one of eight providers in England to deliver a new undergraduate Teacher Degree Apprenticeship as part of a Department of Education pilot.

The university has secured funding to boost teacher recruitment among disadvantaged groups across Sussex, offering 50 apprenticeships in the first year and increasing to 60 in the following year. This initiative shows how teaching apprenticeship can embrace, embody and enhance social justice.

To capitalise on the levy, schools must think strategically. Appointing a senior manager for apprenticeships, developing comprehensive strategies, and exploring high-level apprenticeships up to degree level are crucial steps. Schools should also leverage apprenticeships for support staff and collaborate to maximise their levy funds.

The benefits of fully utilising the apprenticeship levy are far-reaching. It’s not just about individual career development; it’s about driving social mobility, enhancing teaching quality, and a golden opportunity to revolutionise talent development in our schools and colleges.

The money is there – let’s put it to good use for our educators, students, and communities.. The future skills and know-how of our education system depends on it.

The apprenticeship levy is our modern-day moonshot for education

President Kennedy’s successor, Lyndon B. Johnson. passed the Education Professional Development Act of 1967 – with the ambition to train nearly 45,000 teachers, administrators and other professionals. The apprenticeship levy is our modern-day moonshot for education. Let’s not this miss this opportunity, but provide a ladder of opportunity of training and increasing retention and recruitment of education staff at the same time. By doing so, perhaps ensure a British Education Professional Development Act of our time.

By Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Former Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships & HE (2022-24 & 2016-17) and Former Education Committee Chair (2017-22).