Supporting apprentices every step of the way to success

The apprenticeship landscape has seen significant policy shifts in recent months, with changes aimed at reducing bureaucracy and increasing flexibility. Policymakers have long faced calls from providers and employers to reduce bureaucracy in apprenticeships. Recent changes, including shortening the minimum duration of some apprenticeships to eight months and removing the level 2 functional skills requirement as an exit condition, reflect the priority the Government is placing on removing obstacles to boosting apprenticeships.

Less red tape should, in theory, help more learners complete their programmes and allow employers to bring new talent into their workforce more efficiently. However, the reality is that apprenticeships remain highly complex to deliver, with a vast web of data, compliance, and quality assurance requirements still in place.

At the heart of all these policy shifts, regulatory frameworks, and operational challenges is the apprentice themselves. While funding rules, compliance requirements, and employer relationships are all critical to the system, the primary focus must always be on ensuring that every apprentice has a smooth, structured, and well-supported journey from start to finish. 

Ensuring apprentices feel supported and motivated is not just beneficial for them, it is essential for maintaining high-quality provision. A disjointed experience or administrative friction can lead to disengagement and, ultimately, lower completion rates, which remain a challenge for the sector.

Apprenticeships have always required learners to balance learning and working, making clear support and efficient administration essential. Even with recent reforms, gaps in guidance or delays in processes can still create unnecessary barriers to success.

Poorly handled onboarding processes, delays in registering apprentices, or difficulties tracking progress can lead to disengagement and, ultimately, attrition. The sector has long been aware that a lack of structured, intuitive systems for managing the apprenticeship journey can exacerbate these issues. While policy changes may reduce some barriers, they do not remove the need for a clear, well-supported framework that enables apprentices to stay on track.

Data sits at the heart of this challenge

Training providers and colleges must meet a wide range of requirements, from submitting Individualised Learner Records (ILRs) to ensuring compliance with funding and training standards set by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), which will soon be taken over by the Department for Education. 

Beyond compliance, apprenticeships must also meet rigorous quality assurance standards. Ofsted inspections assess whether training is meeting the needs of employers and learners, and safeguarding policies must be robust enough to protect apprentices’ welfare. 

Managing multiple systems, reconciling data, and meeting compliance requirements can leave training providers stretched, diverting time away from what matters most – training and supporting apprentices. While removing the functional skills requirement eases one bottleneck, it does not address the broader challenge of ensuring a seamless learning experience. 

Speaking to colleges and independent training providers about these challenges was the reason I launched eApprentice, VLE Support’s new end-to-end platform, which streamlines the entire apprenticeship journey from enrolment to end-point assessment, so providers can focus on what they do best: developing and nurturing apprentices rather than being tied up in administrative tasks.

With skills development high on the policy agenda and economic uncertainty shaping the labour market, apprenticeships are key to workforce development. But their success depends on more than policy tweaks or funding changes.

Apprentices should not feel like they are navigating a maze of bureaucracy. They should feel supported every step of the way. This means moving beyond a box-ticking approach and prioritising clear communication, smooth processes and reduced admin. When done right, apprentices and providers can focus on what truly matters, which is learning and progression.

When systems are clunky and processes unclear, apprentices disengage and dropout rates rise. A well-run apprenticeship is not just about compliance – it shapes a provider’s reputation and creates an environment where apprentices can succeed. Employers, too, benefit when apprentices are fully engaged, not bogged down by avoidable administrative hurdles.

A successful apprenticeship journey needs structure, clarity, and the right support. Cutting red tape helps, but making the system work better – streamlining processes, reducing friction, and keeping apprentices on track – is what really drives success.

Mark Trinick is CEO and Managing Director of VLE Support