
Since the Conservatives came into power alongside the Liberal Democrats in 2010, some two million apprenticeships have been created. The figure came off the back of a report written by Real Business’s Hunter Ruthven, who also unveiled that the new government has set out plans to create a further three million by 2020.
Announced by chancellor George Osborne during his summer budget, the apprenticeship levy is a “bold step” intended to help the Conservatives reach the above goal. The rationale behind the policy was further explained in a productivity plan recently set out by business secretary Sajid Javid. It was suggested that productivity growth has long gone hand-in-hand with rising human capital, as more people have become educated, and to a higher level. However, the UK faces a widening skills gap. Analysis from the OECD showed that England and Northern Ireland are in the bottom four countries for literacy and numeracy skills among 16-24 year olds. The UK also performs poorly on intermediate professional and technical skills, and is forecast to fall to 28th place among the 33 OECD countries for intermediate skills by 2020. Read more about the UK’s education system:- British teenagers from disadvantaged areas offered business skills and funding
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The UK performs above the OECD average in terms of higher level skills and is home to four out of the world’s top ten universities, second only to the US. This “represents an important competitive advantage”. The government has claimed that it is making it accessible to all who are qualified and wish to study, particularly students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Since 2010 student participation has increased, with a higher proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds applying to and entering higher education than ever before. To further the amount of Brits entering education, Javid announced that the government would be removing the cap on student numbers. He also explained that the government would consult later this year on how a Teaching Excellence Framework can be developed, including outcome-focussed criteria and metrics. The government will also be removing barriers preventing alternative providers from entering and growing in the market. As part of the review of validation arrangements, the government will explore options to allow the best providers to offer degrees independently of existing institutions before obtaining degree awarding powers. By Shané SchutteImage: Shutterstock
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