Post-compulsory education will become more flexible with the introduction of the lifelong loan entitlement (LLE) from 2025.
The ambition of the LLE is without doubt most welcome and is a great prospect to provide students with opportunities to learn more flexibly by affording them the chance to study shorter courses. This is on the condition that these courses provide credits that can be accumulated to a full award – if/when a student so wishes or needs to complete further credits at a later date.
Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) and some other limited recognised level 4/5 awards will be the first collection of courses funded through the LLE. HTQs like the LLE are likewise a welcome ambition to increase the currency of technical courses, provide flexibility, and to fill the significant skills gaps that exist predominantly at levels 4 and 5 – the hope being this will increase productivity and provide employers with access to high-level skills.
Unlike the LLE and HTQs, the apprenticeship levy still remains inflexible and poorly funded, especially when you compare the levels of funding for higher and degree apprenticeships against standard university fees for undergraduate courses (which are also not adequately funded).
