When speaking to college partners about part-time adult learning and apprenticeship provision, the analogy I keep coming back to is that it’s an iceberg.
At first glance, things don’t look to be too much of a concern.
In fact, you may look across and say that 2023 has seen a positive start. UCAS announced last week that young people will soon be able to search and apply for apprenticeships via their platform, several combined authorities have raised AEB funding rates, and the new Lifelong Learning Bill has been tabled in Parliament, which will hopefully set out a more flexible, fairer system.
But underneath the surface, the picture is very different.
It has become clear that the pandemic has permanently impacted the workplace and learner expectations when it comes to the accessibility, quality and flexibility of their skills training.
