Rewriting the Rules: Ep3 Apprenticeships the Skills Engine

The future of apprenticeships and their role in driving productivity, social mobility and employer led learning was the focus of the final episode in FE News’ live series with NCFE, Rewriting the Rules: The future of qualifications, which streamed on Wednesday 20 May.

The series explores how the qualifications and skills system can better support opportunity, progression and employment, and what reform should mean in practice for learners, providers and employers. Episode three, Apprenticeships: the skills engine, examined the ongoing quality versus quantity debate, the case for end point assessment reform, and how apprenticeships can be better integrated into a joined up skills system.

FE News CEO Gavin O’Meara was joined by Sacha Finkle, Director of Delivery at NCFE, to set the scene on why apprenticeships have become such a central pillar of the skills and economic growth agenda, and how policy focus has shifted in recent years toward standards, outcomes and employer confidence.

They were then joined for a 20 minute panel discussion by Simon Ashworth, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Policy at AELP, and Crawford Knott, Managing Director at Hawk Training. The conversation explored what quality really means in an apprenticeship context, whether current assessment arrangements are rigorous, fair and proportionate, and how well apprenticeships connect with other technical and vocational routes. The panel also unpacked what a genuinely employer led system would look like in practice, and how that vision can be balanced against the need to support learner progression and equity.

Each speaker closed the session by reflecting on the single most important change needed if apprenticeships are to reach their full potential for learners, employers and the wider economy.

Watch here

Check out both, Episode 1 What V Levels can learn from T Levels and Episode 2 Rethinking the Future of Assessment, here.