Qualifications requirements to be eased and minimum time for apprenticeship terms reduced
The Department for Education has unveiled a series of reforms for apprenticeships aiming to increase flexibility for employers.
The minimum duration for apprenticeships has been reduced from 12 to eight months, while payment systems and end point assessments have been simplified to free up time for employers to focus on skills development.
Firms will also be able to decide whether applicants aged 19 and over will need to complete GCSE-equivalent qualifications in English and Maths to qualify for an apprenticeship.
The latter changes come into force immediately, while the reduction on minimum length will be introduced from August.
A set of new construction apprenticeships have also been announced including wind turbine technician and heat network maintenance, aiming to support the government’s net zero ambitions.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson is visiting the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project today and will meet apprentices at the nearby Bridgwater and Taunton College in Somerset as part of National Apprenticeship Week.
She said: “We need to take skills seriously as a country again, and the measures we’ve taken this week to slash red tape and boost the number of apprentices, show how we will deliver on this.”
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