The Government has finally started to relent on the failing Apprenticeship Levy, with some cautious reforms being put in place.
The much-maligned levy has actually seen the number of apprenticeships go down since it was launched last year, and little of the funding has even been claimed back so far by employers.
In response to the barrage of criticism, the Government has announced the start of tentative reforms.
From the start of this month employers have been able to make transfers of up to 10% of apprenticeship service funds to as many other employers as they choose as opposed to just one.
However, as Transport Network revealed, very little funding has been claimed back in the first place so it is unclear how much of a difference this will make.
Elsewhere, the Institute for Apprenticeship - which approves the trailblazer apprenticeship employers can claim against - has launched the Faster and Better programme, which aims to simplify aspects of the standards development process by:
- changing and simplifying some of the policy criteria for approval of apprenticeship occupations and standards
- introducing improved trailblazer guidance, and intensive trailblazer workshops aligning the process for recommending funding bands to the timelines for approving proposals and end-point assessment plans, to shorten the time a standard spends waiting for approval for delivery
- simplifying the Institute’s position on the inclusion of qualifications within apprenticeship standards.
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