a number of key messages have emerged for the this week’s Annual Apprenticeship Conference (AAC) which we have summarised below:
- DFE’s Director of Apprenticeships has said that both the revised apprenticeship achievement rates for 2019/20 and the new rates for 2020/21 will be published imminently and warned that his department “will not be satisfied with those levels” when they are released. He also comments on past data errors. Click here for more.
- Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman discussed the impact of the pandemic on apprenticeships and the elements that make for good apprenticeship training. Her full speech is here.
- Skills Minister, Alex Burghart has commited to increasing starts for young people and reducing burden for SMEs. He tells the sector ‘We need you here to continue working with us and championing high quality apprenticeships’. Click here for the highlights of his speech and here for a full transcript.
- The chief executive of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, Jennifer Coupland delivered a keynote speech that stressed the need to refocus on quality as we emerge from the pandemic.