Skills Investment Strategy - NAS comment
18 November 2009
The Skills Investment Strategy 2010-11 was published on Tuesday 17th November setting out how investment will support FE and skills training for post 19 learners. The full document is available here.
The figures announced are for Apprenticeships for those aged over 19. They show that overall there has been a significant rise in the total amount of funding for Apprenticeships for this age group, rising from £389m in 2009-10 to £398m in £2010-11. This equates to a budget increase of 2% and will enable an extra 35,000 Level 3 Apprenticeship places to be made available over the next two years. Budget figures for 16 to 18 year old Apprenticeships are to be announced shortly by DCSF.
The number of people taking an Apprenticeship has trebled in the past ten years. In the year to date, a record 234,000 people started an Apprenticeship, representing a four per cent increase on the year before. Despite some planned reductions in the unit funding available for 19 years plus learners, the total Apprenticeship budget has increased, reflecting the statutory commitment to Apprenticeships made clear in the ASCL Act which came into law last week.
The Skills Investment Strategy, which covers funding for Apprentices aged 19 and over, confirmed that the funding rate for those taking an Apprenticeship over the age of 19 will be reduced by three per cent, and for those aged over 25 by 10 per cent. Despite this, we are continuing to see a high level of demand from employers for apprentices of this age, and we believe our offer represents great value for money for employers.