The economy is shifting rapidly and we need a skills system that can keep up. In the face of growing skills shortages, apprenticeships offer a vital mechanism to provide the skilled workforce we need for our economy to thrive.
But it has the potential to become even more ambitious and relevant to the skills needed for the modern workplace. Apprenticeships need to be clearly defined within the wider skills landscape so that employers can choose the training product that best meets their skills needs. Many questions remain – how do increase take-up among younger people?
How do we support businesses make use of the different training programmes on offer? Is reform of Apprenticeship Levy the answer? Scroll down to see our stance on apprenticeships and skills, our work tracking skills shortages, the outcomes of our workshops on the Apprenticeship Levy and wider employer investment in skills, and much more.
Our work on the Apprenticeship Levy
The Apprenticeship Levy is an important funding contribution to our skills system and came into effect in 2017. However, since its introduction in 2017, the Apprenticeship Levy has faced ongoing debate, with calls for reform coming from all sides of the political spectrum. To examine this debate in more detail, Edge convened three workshops:
- One in June 2023 to explore the benefits and challenges to reform in general…
- …one in December 2023 to examine wider opportunities for employer investment beyond the levy…
- …and one In March 2024 to determine options for reform both within and beyond the Growth and Skills Levy to preserve apprenticeships for young people.
