At the Lifelong Education Institute conference on 28 March, Prof. Tom Bewick offered a retrospective on the apprenticeship levy, six years after its introduction. Here, he builds on his remarks to reflect on what needs to be done to make the apprenticeship system work better.
Readers of 1984, by George Orwell, will be familiar with the Ministry of Truth. On the outside of a dystopian-era government building, it reads: ‘War is Peace’, ‘Freedom is Slavery’, and ‘Ignorance is Strength’.
Of course, the real meaning of what the ministry does is about the ruling party in Orwell’s fictional society, ruthlessly holding onto power, by controlling the accepted narrative.
Thanks to iconic works of literature, like 1984, citizens today have a better understanding of malign forces in our demos, such as official propaganda.
It’s also known as political ‘double-speak’. And you’ll find lots of it in the current debate about skills and lifelong learning.
Take apprenticeships policy. The Department for Education has recently issued a ‘myth-busting’ blog which seeks to paint an incredibly rosy picture of apprenticeship performance in England.
