In October, there were 1,763 mentions of either "further education" or "apprenticeship(s)" in the UK media, a 15 per cent increase on recorded mentions in September.
The figures for this October also represent a 24 per cent increase on those of the same month in 2023.
The chart below plots the mentions of "further education" and "apprenticeship(s)" in the media over the last twelve months.
Budget steals the show
Wednesday's budget, and what it meant for skills, further education, and apprenticeships naturally attracted the most coverage in October. But what exactly did it entail for the sector?
At the top of the list is a £300 million additional investment for the further education sector next year - though it is not yet entirely clear how and where this funding will be distributed.
The Chancellor also announced that of the £6.7 billion handed to the Department for Education in capital funding, £950 million would be earmarked for "skills capital".
The Treasury told FE Week that the Department for Education would also get some extra cash to support colleges with costs associated with the Chancellor's hike in employer national insurance contributions.
Other announcements include an 18 per cent uplift in the apprenticeship minimum wage from £6.40 to £7.55, and a £40 million investment to help deliver new foundation and shorter apprenticeships in "key sectors" as part of apprenticeship levy reform. The budget also pledged the introduction of two pilot 'trailblazer' devolutions schemes for the West Midlands and Greater Manchester Combined Authorities, which mayors say will "unlock more funding and extra flexibilities" for local skills provision.
Sector reaction was mixed. Though praising the Chancellor's targeted investment in the sector, David Hughes of the Association of Colleges nonetheless called for a wider investment plan for the next three-to-five years. “Two simple steps for that plan”, he said, “would be the “reimbursement of the £210 million a year colleges spend on VAT and a government guarantee for college membership of local government pension schemes.”
Ben Rowland, CEO at the AELP, said that while the budget offered “glimmers of hope on skills… we would love to have seen much more on the investment required in human capital.” Rowland was particularly concerned about the potential implications of the uptick in employer national insurance contributions.
In other news...
In early October, coverage centred on reactions to the Government’s late-September proposal to remove funding from some levy 7 apprenticeship courses in order to free up cash for changes anticipated as part of the Growth and Skills Levy - particularly foundation apprenticeships.
AELP’s Ben Rowland wrote for FE News arguing that the “abrupt” proposals would likely have “negative impacts” on not just learners and programmes, but more broadly on the skills system and economy on the whole. "Sustained economic growth", he continued, "requires us to invest in tomorrow’s solicitors, clinical practitioners, AI data specialists, town planners and accountants as well as – not instead of – our future care staff, AI experts and green construction workers."
A new report by UVAC, in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University, emphasised the value of adult and higher level apprenticeships as "essential for growth", and "an area that requires investment". Dr Mandy Crawford-Lee said that a reduction in levy funding for these apprenticeships would be a "major blow" to construction employers, the wider economy and the skills development of both senior level staff and those in specialist roles.
On the same topic, FE Week’s Jessica Hill sat down with solicitor apprenticeship employers and recruits to consider the potential implications of withdrawing funding for these level 7 courses. One interviewee claimed removing funding for these apprenticeships would be “be bad for growth, bad for opportunity and bad for employers.”
Level 3 Reforms
Having been at the forefront of coverage in July, October also featured some news regarding Level 3 reforms. In an FE Week piece, new Minister for Skills Jacqui Smith explained how the new government intends to navigate their 'pause and review' of the planned defunding of a number of level 3 qualifications, recognising the “need to retain other qualifications” alongside the “excellent offer” of T-Levels and A Levels.
Where the government’s review identifies the balance of learner and employer needs within a sector requires level 3 qualifications other than T Levels and A levels, Smith pledged to "maintain the relevant qualifications" - despite the fact that these "may well be in areas that overlap with T Levels" - a change in approach compared to the previous government.
The Broader Picture
On the 23rd, the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee announced that they had written to the government following its inquiry into skills policy in the UK, to call on Ministers to ensure that apprenticeships and training programmes meet the UK economy’s future skills needs.
Included in a number of the inquiry's findings was that the skills system in its current form is "complex, short-term, and lacks strategic direction, making it difficult for those engaging in the system to understand it". Though ceding that the government's planned changes to the apprenticeship system is in a fledgling phase, the inquiry also identified issue with the Apprenticeship Levy, skills devolution, and the "lack of opportunities for young people who do not attend university."
As more details come through about what the budget and wider reforms mean for FE, skills and apprenticeships, coverage will no doubt continue. We’ll keep you updated on the biggest stories as they appear on our LinkedIn page, Bridgehead | Education PR, and in our monthly newsletters.
Below are our top five FE, skills and apprenticeships stories this month.
FE Week - Budget 2024: What the chancellor announced for FE and skills
"Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered Labour’s first budget in almost 15 years this afternoon. Here’s what was announced for FE and skills."
FE News - Budget 2024 | Only £300m Invested in FE | Sector Reaction
"The budget presents a mixed picture for the FE sector – while there are positive developments in institutional structure with Skills England and capital investment, questions remain about the adequacy of core funding compared to other education sectors."
UK Parliament - Government needs to provide greater direction to the skills system, says Lords committee
"Baroness Taylor of Bolton, Chair of the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee, has written to the Government today calling on it to ensure that apprenticeships and training programmes meet the UK economy’s future skills needs."
FE Week - How we’ll go about reforming the level 3 landscape
"I passionately believe that we need a system that meets the needs of every single learner and of employers, that provides high-quality routes where excellent technical and vocational education can stand alongside academic."
FE News - Defunding level 7: A choice that doesn’t need to be made
"I am concerned that the abruptly proposed defunding of level 7 programmes will have negative impacts not only on the programmes and learners affected but more broadly on the skills system and the economy as a whole."