Search Results

The Apprenticeship system has been subject to a number of major changes in recent years. These include: the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in 2017 for employers with an annual pay bill of more than £3 million; a change in funding rules for all employers; and the transition from Apprenticeship Frameworks to Apprenticeship Standards which, amongst other things, introduces end-point assessment on all apprenticeships. In this Briefing Note, we explore the evidence on the composition and distribution of apprenticeship training undertaken in England in recent years using a matched apprentice-employer level dataset. This contains information from the ILR (Individualised Learner Record) matched to the IDBR (the Office for National Statistics' Inter-Departmental Business Register). Overall the number of apprenticeship starts has fallen significantly since the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, from around 0.5 million starts per year before the Levy was introduced to around 0.4 million per year today. Overall, the evidence presented does not suggest that there was a direct association between the introduction of the Levy and the decline in the number of apprenticeship starts, as large enterprises (which are more likely to be paying the Levy) experienced a smaller reduction in the number of starts compared to smaller enterprises (less likely to be paying the Levy). For smaller enterprises which are less likely to be directly impacted by the Levy, the strong decline in starts may be linked to a combination of adapting to the new funding system, the constraints on the pool of funding actually available for apprenticeship training, and the ongoing switch from Apprenticeship Frameworks to Apprenticeship Standards which have higher quality requirements.

Excerpts from publication. Show less

Using information from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR), Employer Data Service (EDS) and the Inter Departmental Business Register (IDBR) between the academic years 2010/11 and 2013/141, this briefing note provides information on the incidence of publicly funded training in England. The analysis presented here illustrates trends in publicly funded training, broken down by a range of enterprise characteristics, including enterprise size (measured in terms of employment), region of incorporation, industry code, and legal status. The dataset also allows for the assessment of the nature and level of the training provided (i.e. apprenticeship training or other workplace related vocational training).

The main findings of the analysis are that: the number (and proportion) of enterprises engaged in publicly funded training has increased consistently between 2010/11 and 2013/14; the number (and proportion) of employees in receipt of training has declined over the corresponding period, which is consistent with other sources of information on training incidence; and apprenticeship-related training has increased significantly (at all levels) at the expense of non-apprenticeship training.

Excerpts from publication. Show less

We analyse whether there is an earnings differential associated with having a [Business and Technology Education Council] BTEC qualification as a young person's highest qualification. Previous analyses of wage differentials using survey data on a sample of all working age individuals have shown positive returns for BTEC qualifications for both males and females. More recently, using matched administrative data for a group of young individuals in England, we showed positive earnings differentials for women in possession of BTECs, but failed to observe any positive differentials for males. In this study we investigate further the characteristics of young individuals in possession of BTEC qualifications and estimate earnings differentials compared with a range of different counterfactuals.

An analysis of the characteristics of learners in possession of vocational qualifications show that the group of individuals with BTECs typically have higher levels of prior attainment at school and a higher proportion are from [Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic] BAME backgrounds compared with individuals in possession of other vocational qualifications at the same level. Moreover BTECs act more often as a stepping stone to learning at higher levels (including degree level) compared with other vocational qualifications. When we consider those with BTECs as their highest qualification, we find that earnings differentials are strong and positive for females across all specifications, while they are positive for males only when compared to individuals in possession of BTECs at the level of the [Regulated Qualifications Framework] RQF immediately below or to individuals enrolling in the same qualification but failing to achieve.

Published abstract. Show less

This briefing note discusses the results of a questionnaire distributed to all incoming apprentices at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at the University of Sheffield in September 2015, and responded to by 61 apprentices (response rate of around 50 per cent). These respondents were young, mostly aged 16-18, well-qualified, almost all having five or more good [General Certificate of Secondary Education] GCSEs including English and Maths, and half having at least one parent in a professional or managerial occupation. The data from this questionnaire were used to answer the question 'what factors influence the decision of young people to undertake an apprenticeship?'

The results show that the desire to undertake an apprenticeship was not developed strongly at the apprentices' former schools. The majority (54 per cent) reported that they received neither encouragement nor discouragement to undertake an apprenticeship from their school, while a similar proportion (22-23 per cent each) were either encouraged or actively discouraged from following such a course. Those with better school qualifications seem to be particularly likely to have been actively discouraged.

Excerpts from publication. Show less

Most policy debates addressing educational issues focus on primary and secondary education. When higher education is considered, it is often through the narrow angle of university attendance and completion. Yet, most students do not follow an academic track, and most importantly, most of them do not go to university. In England, about 60 per cent of a typical cohort enrolls in post-compulsory institutions qualified as 'further education colleges'. Most of these students attend general/tertiary further education colleges, which provide some form of vocational or technical training. For various reasons, this sector has historically been under-considered by academics and policy makers alike. This briefing note fills some of the knowledge gap by investigating the role of principals in further education (FE) colleges.

The study uses a novel panel dataset of principals in FE institutions in England over the period 2003 to 2015, and combines it with data on students' education performance. It also exploits the information contained in the Staff Individualised Records (SIR). To estimate the importance of principals, we exploit the fact that we observe principals and colleges over time. We therefore see a given principal in different institutions, and a given institution managed by different principals. We focus only on the outcomes of young, publicly funded learners that can be linked to their past education performance (who did their GCSE exams between the years 2002 and 2014). We proceed in two steps to investigate college principals' role. First, we look at whether principals do matter for students' educational performance. The three achievement outcomes we use are whether the student achieves a Level 2 qualification, whether the student achieves a Level 3 qualification, and whether the student enrols in any kind of Level 4 - or above - qualification. Then, we investigate potential mechanisms that could explain principals' performance, in particular recruitment and wage policies set by the principals. The results show that principals do matter for the educational performance of their students. Most importantly, principals notably differ in their ability to enable students to progress.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

In the light of recent controversies in the UK over the slowdown in the number of apprenticeship starts and the potential connection with the change in the funding system, this briefing note is a synopsis of findings that are mainly from published CVER research since its inception in 2015. The author first explains what an apprenticeship in England is then outlines changes over time, including very recent change up to data released in 2017/18. There is a discussion around the trade-off between quantity and quality and gauging the 'value' of apprenticeships in terms of an earnings premium in the labour market in subsequent years.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

Despite the contribution of both human capital and R&D to economic growth, the UK fiscal system does not treat the two equally when it comes to employer incentives to invest. Specifically, firms that invest in R&D are able to claim generous tax relief on their investments whereas there is no such across-the-board incentive to invest in the training of their workers. In this briefing note, we explain the economic rationale for government support in the form of tax credits (Section 2). We discuss current practice in the UK in relation to R&D (Section 3) and evidence on effectiveness (Section 4). We then discuss how the policy might be adapted to provide similar incentives for investing in human capital (Section 5).

Excerpts from publication. Show less

For the cohort of all 516,880 intermediate and advanced apprenticeships starting in England in 2011/12, we find that one third were withdrawn and a further 10 per cent were not completed within 36 months. We find that completion is strongly related to measures of prior achievement (full Level 2 or 3 qualifications) and we observe substantial variation by framework, i.e. apprentices are more likely to achieve if they choose certain vocational areas instead of others. Ongoing apprenticeship reform should more clearly look at such indicators to evaluate whether reforms actually increase individual achievement or similar outcomes. Another implication is to provide better information for those interested in apprenticeships on expected outcomes. For example, the 'findanapprenticeship' website could offer a tool for potential apprentices to insert personal characteristics, and be given information on the probability of achievement and expected labour market outcomes for a person with these characteristics.

Published abstract. Show less

The [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the ensuing economic uncertainty caused interruptions to apprenticeship training. This is putting the future of apprenticeships at risk just at the time when they will be most needed to protect employment and sustain the recovery. Apprenticeships offer a mix of training on the job and additional off-the-job training. This is generally a successful combination, but it has made apprenticeships particularly vulnerable during the current crisis. The purpose of this short briefing note is to present and discuss available evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on present and future apprenticeship provision as well as to set out a framework for policy intervention.

Published abstract. Show less

Currently, 792,000 16-24-year olds in the UK - 11.5 per cent of the age group - are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), but not much is known about how this differs by local area. In this Briefing Note, we provide comprehensive statistics on NEET rates as well as transition rates from NEET back into education and employment for 150 small areas in England ('Upper Tier Local Authorities'), exploiting new administrative data linking all education and labour market activities at individual level. When looking at certain groups, such as those eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) during secondary school or people with low-level qualifications, we find wider variation of NEET rates across English localities than suggested by region-level analysis. Shown mostly in maps, local variations of both NEET rates and rates of positive transitions out of NEET reveal substantial geographical inequality in young people's opportunities. In our view, the place-based patterns of inequality suggest area-specific support for young people and greater efforts to ensure that fewer individuals leave school with very low levels of educational attainment.

Published abstract. Show less