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Quarterly Newsletter

Vocational Education and Training

Welcome to our quarterly newsletter. Our aim is to keep you up to date on events, resources, publications
and news within the vocational training sector. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to colleagues who
may be interested in our work.

Apprenticeship Update framework is Business Administration with 29,000

During the current year a total of 814,800 people starts and the most popular standard is Team

are participating in an apprenticeship, with 375,800 Leader/Supervisor.

new starts and 276,200 achievements. There are A recent business survey found that employers
normally about 500,000 new apprenticeship starts experienced a wide range of benefits as a result of
each year but numbers are lower this year due to training apprentices. Half the companies surveyed
changes in the funding system. Statistics show that said that their apprentices made a valuable
starts at intermediate level and by apprentices aged contribution to the business during their training
25 and over are particularly affected. However, period, with a further third reporting that
there are a higher proportion of starts from apprentices added value within their first few
apprentices aged under 19 and more men (51%) weeks or even from the first day. Apprenticeships
have started apprenticeships than women (49%). offer significant returns on investment and once
The proportion of advanced and higher-level qualified can add around £214 per week in
apprenticeships has steadily increased over the productivity gains. Businesses find them a good
years and for the first-time advanced level way to recruit new staff or to up-skill existing staff
apprenticeship starts outnumbered those at and report they lead to tangible economic benefits.
intermediate level.
Basic Skills
Year 2019/2020 The UK ranks in the bottom four OECD countries
for literacy and numeracy among young people.
​
22%
Other countries have seen an improvement in basic
Higher Level skills across successive generations as employers
50%
Intermediate
Level
invest more in these skills. Almost every other
22%
developed country has been more successful in
Advanced Level
6%
building a skilled workforce, leaving the UK
economy at risk of falling behind. Singapore has
Over half of the apprenticeship starts were in the
the highest achieving students in international
sector areas of Business Administration and Law
education rankings with the UK ranked 21 for
(30%) and Health, Public Services and Care
reading and 27 for maths, behind countries such as
(24%), followed by Engineering and
Japan, Estonia, Finland and Vietnam. The training
Manufacturing Technologies (16%), and Retail and
and development needs of young people must be
Commercial Enterprise (14%). The most popular

Edited By: Ruhaifa Al-Asali Jo108 1983

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addressed to ensure workers are equipped with and professional skills
more than the skills they learnt at school. education.

English and maths are essential skills that are The 45th World Skills
critical in building a skilled and productive Competition was held in
workforce. Recent policy has made it the Russia. More than 1,350
responsibility of the government and employers to young professionals attended, representing 63-
ensure that all apprentices have a basic level of member countries and regions. Each skill
English and maths. Attainment of at least basic competition is assessed through a series of tests
level English and maths qualifications is an and projects which are completed over the four
important part of the apprenticeship programme. days of the competition. The tests are designed by
For those undertaking a level 3 or higher industry experts and incorporate the knowledge,
apprenticeship, it is a requirement that they hold or practical skills and attributes valued by employers,
achieve an approved level 2 qualification in both including successful completion of tasks set,
subjects before they can successfully complete the problem-solving, time management and working
apprenticeship. under pressure. Competitors are assessed by
experts against rigorous international standards
Vocational World Championships
that specify the knowledge, understanding, skills
World Skills is a global organization that promotes
and capabilities that underpin vocational
vocational, technological and service oriented
performance in that skill. There are 56 competition
education and training. It aims to promote
trades ranging from carpentry to mobile robotics,
excellence in skills, uplift professional skills
and from floristry to aircraft maintenance, within
standards, and to raise the awareness and status of
six main industry categories:
vocational education and skills training across the
world. It advocates the importance of skills in  Construction and Building Technology
 Creative Arts and Fashion
achieving economic growth. It now has 82-
 Information and Communication
member countries and regions covering more than Technology
 Manufacturing and Engineering
two-thirds of the world’s population.
Technology
The vocational skills world championships are the  Social and Personal Services
 Transportation and Logistics
largest and most prestigious vocational education
China topped the medal table for the second
and skills competition in the world. It is a biennial
consecutive games with 16 gold, 14 silver and 5
event with each competition hosted by a different
bronze medals. Russia came second (14 golds, 4
country. Skilled young professionals showcase
silvers and 4 bronzes) and Korea third (7 golds, 6
their abilities and compete with the best in the
silvers and 2 bronzes).
world for the chance of winning a prestigious
medal in their chosen skill. The championships Visitors to the event had the opportunity to try 30

also provide the opportunity for leaders in industry, different skills-related activities linked to those

government, and education to exchange taking place in the adjacent skill competition and

information and best practices regarding industry demonstration areas. They were also able to get

Edited By: Ruhaifa Al-Asali Jo108 1983

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valuable careers advice. With over 200,000 visitors changes to apprenticeships and the benefits to
attending the event and thousands more virtual individuals and businesses. It targets young people,
visitors, it was the largest competition to date and parents and employers and includes radio,
the largest international event held in Russia that television and digital advertising along with social
year. media activities. A new website provides helpful
advice and information as well as access to
The 46th World Skills Competition
thousands of apprenticeship opportunities across
was held in Shanghai, China in
the country. It is hoped to increase the number of
September this year.
vacancies created by employers and encourage
Apprenticeship Campaign young people to choose an apprenticeship as a
The new national apprenticeships campaign is now high-quality career route. Visit our website to find
live and runs until the end of December. The out more about the opportunities available and how
campaign aims to make people aware of the apprenticeships can benefit business.

Our next newsletter will be published in December 2021. If you would like to receive a copy make sure you
have added yourself to our mailing list. Visit our website to sign up or to check your preference settings.

Edited By: Ruhaifa Al-Asali Jo108 1983