Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement on reforms to the Apprenticeship Levy is a positive signal of continued support for a co-delivery education model across universities and businesses, says the NCUB.

Numbers progressing through the Apprenticeship route, particularly in higher and degree programmes, continue to soar, showing how impactful and valued direct engagement with employers is within learning.

However, the Apprenticeship Levy continues to be too inflexible and this is a huge barrier to further growth. Companies face acute skills gaps, and are unable to use their levy funds to up- and re-skill their workforce. 

National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) chief executive, Joe Marshall, said: “Support for small and medium businesses in accessing apprentices is welcome. These businesses often grapple with smaller training budgets, and their engagement with universities is still recovering post-COVID 19.

“However, our larger businesses and employers face significant skills gaps which they alone are unable to resolve. With four in five businesses facing recruitment issues, the nation needs a comprehensive plan to address the crisis. Reforms to apprenticeships must be at the heart of this, transforming the Levy into a resource to enable comprehensive workforce skilling.”

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.