Apprenticeship policy win & Skills England team

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, the Secretary of State Bridget Phillipson has announced today new English and maths requirements to boost skills and support employers.   

Employers will now be able to decide whether adult learners, over the age of 19 when they start an apprenticeships course, will need to complete a level 2 English and Maths (GCSE) qualification.  This a significant win for the FDF and its members. According to the Department for Education (DfE), this could allow up to 10,000 more employees to take up an apprenticeship each year. 

The FDF has been calling for these changes to functional skills requirements for some time to increase participation in Apprenticeships, particularly for older, more experienced workers, and allow apprentices to focus on the core skills relevant to their role. Apprentices will still be assessed on core English and maths skills relevant to their occupation.

These changes will come into effect immediately and we’ve received confirmation from DfE (via Skills England) that it will apply to both new and existing learners, but this will be subject to certain eligibility criteria. We understand that the new apprenticeship funding rules will detail further guidelines on eligibility and application once published. DfE colleagues are also planning to produce a help tool alongside this.

Other key points to note:

• The reduction of the minimum duration of an apprenticeship, from 12 months to 8 months. Pending legislative measures, these shorter apprenticeships could be introduced as early as August 2025.
• Confirmation of the new Skills England team:
• Phil Smith, former chair and CEO of Cisco, will chair Skills England with Sir David Bell as Vice Chair, currently Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland.
• Sarah Maclean and Tessa Griffiths will be taking up the role of Chief Executive Officer in Skills England.  We know Tessa Griffiths from her previous DfE role.

For more information, please contact caroline.keohane@fdf.org.uk.  We will shortly be confirming the next meeting of FDF’s Employment and Skills Forum to discuss next steps on Skills England’s reforms and the Growth and Skills Levy.