The TES is reporting that in just two years, university income from apprenticeships, traineeships and the adult education budget has more than doubled, from £12.6 million in 2014-15 to £31.9 million in 2016-17 – whilst the number of universities in receipt of funding for FE provision has almost trebled from 21 to 62. Commenting on the findings, AELP’s CEO Mark Dawe said “Providing degree apprenticeships are genuinely work-based and meeting the required new standards, we support the expansion of apprenticeships to higher levels and the widening of the provider base. However, we don’t want the growth in higher and degree level apprenticeships to be at the expense of the vital lower-level provision, nor to damage the social mobility agenda.”
