In the past year, the number of apprentices in England has continued to drop despite the government’s introduction of the new apprenticeship levy. As a result there are complaints of additional costs being incurred and a failed rollout.

Despite the slow growth in apprenticeship starts since the introduction of the apprenticeship Levy, this new funding mechanism is precisely what the UK needs to bridge its widening skills gap.

A hugely important development for the Apprenticeship market has hit the mainstream news recently after flying under the radar for a week.

The Apprenticeship Levy has brought major change for employers and training providers alike – but it seems to be the SMEs (as is often the way) that are feeling the sharp end of the deal. The Levy paid by businesses with a pay bill of more than £3 million and the 10% upfront contribution that smaller businesses must pay are argued to be equivalent. But there’s no escaping the fact that this cost will be felt much more keenly as an outgoing on an already smaller balance sheet, rather than as a tax.

On 1st May this year, we saw the biggest transformation in recent times in the Workplace Learning sector, with the introduction of the new funding mechanism for Apprenticeships. This is expected to create an industry worth over £2.5 billion, and puts employers firmly in control of the purse strings.