Denham Pledges Greater Progression For Apprentices

Skills Secretary John Denham today pledged to help apprentices go to university, and to ensure higher education meets the needs of students who have come up through a vocational route.

A report published today by the Skills Commission, Progression into Apprenticeships, praises the Government’s progress in expanding apprenticeships and calls for a greater proportion of those progressing to higher levels of learning.

Welcoming the report, Mr Denham said: "Apprenticeships are valuable in their own right, but I believe there should be clear progression routes for young people and adults who complete their apprenticeships and want to go further - whether that’s onto an advanced apprenticeship, a diploma or a foundation degree and beyond."

The Minister also added he wanted universities to offer high-level vocational courses to meet the needs of students who have taken that route.

He continued: "Demand for apprenticeships far outstrips supply and they're proving increasingly popular with young people and adults alike. More and more people will reach the threshold of university education through vocational routes, such as apprenticeships. Our education system must be able accommodate those people and help them gain higher levels of skills and qualifications."

The Government affirmed its commitment to incorporating Apprentice frameworks into the UCAS tariff to make it simpler to go to university after an apprenticeship in its New Opportunities white paper, published in January.

Currently, apprentices can progress onto a foundation degree - a work-related qualification developed and delivered jointly by employers and higher education institutions.

The Skills Commission report also called for a clearer definition of programme-led apprenticeships, courses which involve an apprentice studying full time at a college or training provider without necessarily having an employer.

(JM/BMcC)