May 2020
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference examines the next steps for degree apprenticeships in England - with a particular focus on:
- funding,
- attracting a wider group of students, and
- ensuring high quality delivery.
Key areas for discussion:
- Profile raising and increasing participation - options for improving the application system and marketing of courses and the benefits of degree apprenticeships to employers and the public;
- The future funding model for degree apprenticeships;
- Effective regulation and high-quality delivery;
- How degree apprenticeships can most effectively help tackle skill shortages in particular areas of the country, and improve social mobility; and
- The impact of the levy on degree apprenticeships - amidst increased concern surrounding the sustainability of the overall apprenticeship budget, including findings from the National Audit Office in their 2019 report on the programme.
Why this is relevant now - the context:
- Latest government Apprenticeships and traineeships report showing a 29% rise in levy-funded higher level apprenticeships despite an overall decrease in numbers starting apprenticeships;
- The final weeks of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education consultation on a new model of funding bands for apprenticeships;
- The future of degree apprenticeships report, which:
- raised concerns that the development of degree apprenticeships is being held back by poor levels of awareness amongst students, parents and employers,
- calls for better careers information and guidance at an earlier age in schools, and
- recommends improvements to the UCAS system to make it an easier process for prospective applicants.
- The Office for Students finding that take up was low amongst underprivileged students and that further work is required to encourage BAME and disabled students to take up the qualification.
The agenda:
- Outlining the future priorities for degree apprenticeships;
- Implementing an effective and sustainable funding model for degree apprenticeships;
- The role of degree apprenticeships in widening access to university;
- How does UCAS help students explore their options?;
- Attracting a wider group of students to begin a degree apprenticeship - raising awareness and the role of degree apprenticeships in widening university participation; and
- Ensuring high quality delivery and standards of provision - improving course design and perceptions.
Policy officials attending
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stake holders.
It’s certainly the case with this one. Places have been reserved by officials from the Cabinet Office; DWP; HM Treasury; HM Revenue & Customs; UKRI; the Government Equalities Office; the Department for International Trade; the Government Internal Audit Agency; the Intellectual Property Office; the Ministry of Defence; the Ministry of Justice; the UK Space Agency; the Valuation Office Agency; the Department for the Economy, NI and the Welsh Government.
This is a full-scale conference taking place online***
- full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
- information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
- conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
- speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
- opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
- a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
- delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
- networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!
Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference
