In January, 1,781 mentions of "further education" and "apprenticeship(s)" were recorded in the UK media, an 11 per cent increase on recorded mentions in December 2024.
The figures for last month also represent an 12 per cent increase on those of the same month in 2024.
The chart below plots the mentions of "further education" and "apprenticeship(s)" in the media over the last twelve months.
Policy & Parliament
Policy
Early in the month, a report by the Social Market Foundation revealed that 1 in 6 apprenticeships - or 56,000 - were being undertaken by university graduates at high levels, including 14,000 who already held a master’s degree.
The report estimated that £431 million - nearly a fifth of the DfE’s total apprenticeship budget - was spent on apprenticeships for graduates last year. Around £182 million of this funded level 7 apprenticeships.
Tom Richmond, who authored the report, argued that apprenticeship funding for graduates “should be redirected towards new apprenticeships for young people leaving school or college, particularly those from the most deprived backgrounds, who should be prioritised for the finite funding available”.
Elsewhere, news emerged that the government would release a £50 million chunk of the £300 million announced in the Budget this academic year as a “one-off grant” to help colleges fund teacher pay rises. This would, a letter from the Department said, “enable colleges to respond to current priorities and challenges, including workforce recruitment and retention.”
Most affected, including the SCFA, welcomed the investment, though some principals were concerned that by removing £50 million from the original budget, the £300 million total would no longer be “embedded” into permanent 16-19 funding rates.
Later in the month, Parliament’s Education Select Committee announced the launch of a new broad inquiry into the current state of FE provision. Their call for evidence approached a wide range of topics including curriculum and assessment, funding arrangements, workforce pressures and barriers to access.
Committee chair Helen Hayes said the inquiry would “listen to both the education sector and figures from industry and public services to investigate how DfE could design a new way of doing FE that helps young people into the careers they desire, serves vital sectors that struggle to recruit, and catalyses growth across the country.”
Closing up January, apprenticeship start figures were published. The double release of figures for August to October and those from 2023/24 caused some consternation on social media for Bridget Phillipson, with many accusing her (assuming she was referring to the 2023/24 stats) of taking credit for the work of the previous government. The Education Secretary eventually made clear which data release she was referring to - though not until seven hours later.
In terms of what the August to October stats actually said - well, it was a mixed bag. Starts were up 1.3 per cent, achievement up by 1.1 per cent. Beneath the surface, though, the now highly controversial level 6 and 7 apprenticeships were up significantly, with starts increasing by 10.9 per cent compared to the same period last year. Level 2 starts were at their lowest in four years.
Some attribute the growth in level 7 starts to an anticipation of their imminent removal from levy funding. We are, however, still waiting for the government’s final decision. That is, again, expected “shortly”.
Parliament
Mentions of “further education” and “apprenticeship(s)” in Parliament (Commons, Lords debates, written answers, and ministerial statements) totaled 193 in January, 22 fewer than in December.
Highlights
Once again, questions continued as to the future of Level 7 apprenticeship funding, though hopes of new information were broadly stonewalled by the commitment to reveal final decisions in the 'near future'.
Other questions around apprenticeship uptake among young people were responded to with reminders of the development of foundation apprenticeships, and reforms to the apprenticeship levy which will “to create opportunities and provide greater flexibility for employers and apprenticeships.”
In a House of Commons debate about creative industries, Chris Bryant revealed that the government plans to “bring forward changes so that shorter apprenticeships are available from August 2025”.
In response to a question about the development of construction apprenticeships, Janet Daby said that their “ambitious plan” to build 1.5 million new homes in England this parliament would be buttressed by 5,000 more construction apprenticeship places will be made available per year by the 2027/28 financial year thanks to an £140 million industry investment.
In the Media
Several interesting op-eds and news stories surfaced in the media through January.
The Times latched on to the Social Market Foundation’s research into apprenticeship uptake among degree-educated individuals, their story subtitled with the not-so-positive phrase: “Firms exploit lax rules to send senior executives on courses while the number of workers starting entry-level apprenticeships has plummeted.”
The degree apprenticeship debate was the focus of two interesting op-eds in FE Week and FE News respectively. The former, by skills consultant Tom Bewick, railed against recent criticism of level 7 expenditure, defending their role as “vital” and arguing that the government is "chronically underinvesting" in skills at all levels of the economy.
The latter, by York St John University’s Head of Apprenticeship Delivery Tom Burton, argued that recent debate pitting higher and lower-level apprenticeships against one another risks "overlooking the inherent complementarity" between both - which fosters opportunity, addresses skills shortages, and boosts economic growth.
NEW: You can hear more about Tom Burton’s arguments in an upcoming edition of The Mark, with a special twist…
Elsewhere, AELP’s Ben Rowland warned that recent proposals to devolve apprenticeship funding to local leaders risk undoing a "decade of progress" in creating an employer-led apprenticeship system - resulting in a fragmented, bureaucratic structure that hampers employer engagement.
Also in FE Week came a piece from Emily Rock, CEO of the Association of Apprenticeships, who wrote to report on the findings of their Big Apprentice Survey 2024. Key findings included 74 per cent of apprenticeships valuing the combination of work experience and qualifications, 51 per cent praising career progression opportunities, and 36 per cent saying they wouldn’t be in their current industry without their apprenticeship.
As we continue to follow how the media are digesting the Government's latest policy announcements, here are our top five stories of the month:
Top Stories
FE Week - Degree apprenticeships are vital for growth
"It’s time for a more informed debate about how we invest in skills for productivity for growth in future. The truth is we are chronically underinvesting in skills at all levels of our economy."
The Times - Apprenticeship funding is used for management training
"Firms exploit lax rules to send senior executives on courses while the number of workers starting entry-level apprenticeships has plummeted"
FE News - The false narrative between entry-level and degree-level apprenticeships Is a distraction from the real task at hand
"The concept of apprenticeships, traditionally viewed as a means of accessing vocational training, has been recently framed as competition between lower and higher levels. This dichotomy, however, is not only artificial but also damaging to the apprenticeship system’s effectiveness."
Parliament - Making further education fit for the future – MPs launch new inquiry
"How the post-16 education system could provide better vocational and skills-based learning and qualifications will be the focus of the Education Committee’s new inquiry.
Launched today, the inquiry will see MPs investigate how the entire further education system could better equip young people with skills and qualifications for a range of sectors experiencing labour shortages, from hospitality and agriculture to health and care. "
FE Week - DfE to release £50m in 2024/25 to help fund FE teacher pay
"The government will release a chunk of the £300 million announced in the Budget this academic year as a “one-off grant” to help colleges fund teacher pay rises."
