Close Menu
  • News
  • Home
  • In Profile
  • Finance
  • Legal
  • Technology
  • Events
  • Features
  • Wellbeing & Mental Health
  • Marketing
  • HR & Recruitment
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
Trending
  • Dementia Advocate Shares Tips For Supporting People With Dementia When Flying
  • SME Today talks to Sa’ed Anabtawi, Product Director, WOLF
  • The Truth Behind ‘Sickies’
  • Five ways to monetise your business EV chargers
  • New book on conquering fear of public speaking
  • 1 in 3 employees anxious about lack of first aiders at work
  • What SMEs risk when their IT provider gets bought out
  • Back to Work: Keeping your employees happy after their holiday high 
X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
SME Today
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
  • News
  • Home
  • In Profile
  • Finance
  • Legal
  • Technology
  • Events
  • Features
  • Wellbeing
  • Marketing
  • HR & Recruitment
SME Today
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
You are at:Home»Education and Training»Government’s new degree apprenticeship funding plans are a major blow to SME employers
Government’s new degree apprenticeship funding plans are a major blow to SME employers

Government’s new degree apprenticeship funding plans are a major blow to SME employers

0
Posted By Greg Robinson on October 18, 2024 Education and Training, News

The government’s new plans to restrict levy funding of level 7 apprenticeships will widen the skills gap, hinder the economy and have a significant financial impact on SME employers needing to develop future managers, business leaders or fill specialist roles.  

The warning comes from the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC) which has produced a new national report in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University to explore the critical purpose of training apprentices of all ages to deliver jobs of the future.

The report also explores the importance of older apprentices to employers in a shifting labour market and the impact higher and degree apprenticeships, such as those at level 7, have on firms from a growth, employee retention, skills and productivity perspective.

Dr. Mandy Crawford-Lee, chief executive for UVAC commented: “The government’s policy aims to reduce levy

Dr. Mandy Crawford-Lee, chief executive for UVAC
Dr. Mandy Crawford-Lee, chief executive for UVAC

funding of level 7 apprenticeships is a major blow to SME employers, the wider economy and the skills development of both senior level staff and those in specialist roles such as technology.

“It will largely affect those businesses with apprentices aged over 25 that rely on the current financial support to meet the cost of upskilling employees to be effective managers, business leaders or occupy more technical roles via level 7 and master’s degree apprenticeships.

“Given this government’s current focus is economic growth and addressing social mobility, it makes no sense to introduce policy that could undermine it. Degree apprenticeships at level 7 are proven to enhance social mobility, by giving individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to follow a pathway into the professions, gain access to higher education and also achieve higher-paid, senior-level positions further in their career. Many people from underserved communities could now not realise their full earning potential as a result and miss out on opportunities to become highly skilled in their chosen profession.”

Findings from the National Foundation of Educational Research reveal that 90% of roles within firms across all sectors will require higher-level skills by 2035, highlighting how the wider economy and more employers than ever will be dependent on degree apprenticeships at levels 6 and 7, rather than just those at lower levels.

Charlynne Pullen, principal research fellow at Sheffield Hallam University, who has just produced the ‘Apprenticeships – a system built for Adults’ report, commented: “The current apprenticeship system has significant benefits for adults and their employers, at all levels and all stages of a career. Young people, and those with less work experience, need additional support, and new foundation apprenticeships are a welcome recognition of that. But we should not lose sight of the support needed for adults to progress, to upskill, to reskill, and to learn new skills at a range of points in their career.”

Dr. Mandy Crawford-Lee added: “We welcome any attempts to engage more young people with apprenticeships through the government’s plans to introduce paid ‘foundation’ apprenticeships, but this should not be at the expense of level 7 and the essential levy funding support needed by SME employers. The government needs to prioritise the career and skills progression of employees at every stage of their working life.”

The ‘Apprenticeships – a system built for adults’ report is now freely available to view online at www.uvac.ac.uk.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Dementia Advocate Shares Tips For Supporting People With Dementia When Flying

Are you flying blind on your most important business decisions?

OneMetric forms strategic partnership with RevOps expert to drive UK growth

Comments are closed.

Follow SME Today on Linkedin and share all the topics you find interesting

The Newsletter

Join our mailing list for the best SME stories, handpicked and delivered direct to your inbox every two weeks!

Sign Up
Personal Pension offer
Events Calendar
    • Marketing
    August 29, 2025

    OneMetric forms strategic partnership with RevOps expert to drive UK growth

    August 28, 2025

    The Seven Phases of Festive Shopping and How to Target within Each Effectively

    • Finance
    September 3, 2025

    Five ways to monetise your business EV chargers

    September 1, 2025

    Are you flying blind on your most important business decisions?

    • People
    August 14, 2025

    A Life Worth Saving – A Tribute to Dame Stephanie Shirley CH, 1933–2025

    August 12, 2025

    Finance Director Returns As Judge For National Business Awards

    • Health & Safety
    September 2, 2025

    1 in 3 employees anxious about lack of first aiders at work

    July 1, 2025

    Temperatures Soaring: Is Your Workplace Becoming Unsafe?

    • Events
    July 22, 2025

    South West Expo Delivers Outstanding Event at Swindon’s STEAM Museum

    July 4, 2025

    £20k grant for female-founded SME up for grabs

    • Community
    July 11, 2025

    Building community, one cause at a time

    June 23, 2025

    Celebrating One Year In Fairford Supporting The Community

    • Food & Drink
    August 22, 2025

    How to get stocked by major retailers as an SME

    July 18, 2025

    Warning to Small Businesses Over New Food Waste Regulations

    • Books
    September 3, 2025

    New book on conquering fear of public speaking

    August 7, 2025

    Learning to Leave a Legacy in Business

    About

    SME Today is published by the same team who deliver The Great British Expos’. We have been organising various corporate events for the last 10 years, with a strong track record of producing well managed and attended business events across the UK.

    Join Our Mailing List

    Receive the latest news and updates from SMEToday.
    Read our Latest Newsletter:


    Sign Up
    X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    Categories
    • Books
    • Community & Charity
    • Education and Training
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Features
    • Finance
    • Food and Drink
    • Health & Safety
    • HR & Recruitment
    • In Profile
    • Legal
    • Marketing
    • News
    • People
    • Property & Development
    • Sponsored Content
    • Technology
    • Transport & Tourism
    • Wellbeing & Mental Health
    • ABOUT SME TODAY: THE GO TO RESOURCE FOR UK BUSINESSES
    • Editorial Submission Guidelines
    • Privacy
    • Contact
    Copyright © 2025 SME Today.
    • ABOUT SME TODAY: THE GO TO RESOURCE FOR UK BUSINESSES
    • Editorial Submission Guidelines
    • Privacy
    • Contact

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.