Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Civil Service Apprenticeships

Thursday 11 February 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The civil service will launch a new apprenticeship strategy next year to improve training standards and address skills gaps.
  • The focus is on growing talent within Departments through higher quality training for all civil servants, including apprentices.
  • The civil service aims to make apprenticeship schemes more accessible in regions, with 1,911 apprenticeships created in the West Midlands over the past five years.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Saqib Bhatti Con Meriden and Solihull East
Context

The MP is inquiring about measures to enhance the quality of civil service apprenticeships, highlighting the importance of not just increasing numbers but improving training standards.

Question

What steps he is taking to improve the quality of civil service apprenticeships. The focus should be on ensuring that Departments are better at growing their own talent and addressing skills gaps through higher quality training for all civil servants, including apprentices.

Answer from Julia Lopez

The civil service will launch its new apprenticeship strategy next year. The first phase has already delivered 30,000 apprenticeships by April, but going forward the focus is on improving training standards to better grow talent and address skills gaps within Departments. Recently published was the curriculum and campus for Government skills, aiming to set a high standard in vocational training for all civil servants.

Answered
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Q2 Saqib Bhatti Con Meriden and Solihull East
Employment
Context

During National Apprenticeship Week, the MP is inquiring about efforts to make civil service apprenticeship schemes more accessible to all constituents, particularly those from Meriden who are noted as being among the most talented and hard-working.

Question

As it is National Apprenticeship Week, will she please explain to the House what is being done to make the civil service apprenticeship scheme accessible to all, including my constituents in Meriden, who she will find are some of the most talented and hard-working in the whole country?

Answer from Julia Lopez

I commend my hon. Friend on his promotion of his constituents. Our ambitions include moving more civil service roles, including apprenticeships, out of London and into the regions. Already 1,911 apprenticeships have been created in the West Midlands over the past five years. We encourage applications for live vacancies available now. A new relationship with Birmingham local enterprise partnership works with schools and colleges to help people understand the exciting career opportunities in the civil service.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about making apprenticeships accessible to all constituents was partially addressed but did not provide concrete steps or timelines for increasing accessibility specifically in Meriden.

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