Apprenticeships and T-Levels — [Sir Christopher Chope in the Chair]

He asked if the right hon. Member would give way to speak further. Clive Jones mentioned concerns from residents in his constituency about uncertainty around T-level courses and existing level 3 qualifications, noting that this lack of clarity is causing stress to parents, students and teachers.

Emphasised the importance of technical education and praised T-levels for their role in providing opportunities to young people, highlighting the challenges faced by cities like Stoke-on-Trent. Mentioned the need for clear guidance on course offerings after the pause and review process and urged the Government to ensure colleges can plan effectively for September 2025. Gareth Snell invited the Minister to visit Stoke-on-Trent.

Emphasised the need for reform in the education system to ensure young people are aware of all their options post-16 and post-18. Raised concerns about the apprenticeship levy not effectively funding training, highlighting a shortfall of £700 million despite a £3.9 billion raise through the levy. Discussed issues with T-levels excluding certain groups due to high entry requirements and the need for BTEC routes to remain accessible.

Jim Shannon highlighted the importance of apprenticeships and T-levels in providing education and employment opportunities for young people. He noted positive statistics from Northern Ireland, such as a rise in apprenticeship uptake in various fields like electrotechnical work, health and social care, and plumbing. Shannon stressed that proper pay reflection is crucial to encourage young people to complete their apprenticeships. Additionally, he advocated for parity of esteem between academic and vocational routes and called for the extension of T-level success to Northern Ireland.

Mr Brash highlighted the importance of collaboration among providers in Hartlepool and expressed concerns over funding cuts and the rush to implement T-levels, which resulted in fewer opportunities for young people. He mentioned that the functional skills element is acting as a barrier for some young people accessing training and careers.

He acknowledged the progress made by previous governments in creating apprenticeships but called for greater flexibility in delivering them. He highlighted Broxbourne's success with Hertford Regional College and advocated for more routes to full-time employment besides university education.

He stressed the need for certainty regarding the defunding of BTECs in favour of T-levels, highlighting staff concerns about adapting curricula to new standards. South Thames Colleges Group faces changes that could impact 58 courses with approximately 380 students affected. He also noted a disparity between applications for T-level and BTEC childcare courses.

She agreed with the right hon. Member's points but highlighted a local apprenticeship provider called CATCH in her constituency that will deliver 1,000 welding apprenticeships over several years. She expressed concern about the timing of decisions affecting BTECs and T-levels, noting that Franklin college in her constituency has said early knowledge is essential for planning. The college receives parents and young people on open days for courses next year.

Neil O'Brien congratulated his colleague on securing the debate and praised other speakers. He questioned the government's forecast for the number of apprenticeships over this Parliament and asked if 50% of levy funds could still be spent on non-apprenticeship training. He also raised concerns about the impact of national insurance increases on apprentice numbers, FE sector compensation, VAT classification for colleges, teacher pay disparity in sixth-form colleges versus schools, independent standards setting within IfATE Bill provisions, and transparency regarding BTEC review terms. Asked the Minister about introducing flexibility in using apprenticeship levy funds across all sectors and requested the Government to publish the terms of reference for a review.

Mr Bedford highlighted the importance of apprenticeships and technical training in instilling aspiration and providing opportunities for young people. He criticised the increase in NEETs, particularly among those aged 16 to 24, and pointed out that the current level stands at 900,000 individuals. Mr Bedford praised the Conservative Government's achievement of delivering 5.8 million apprenticeships but noted a stagnation over recent years due to challenges with the apprenticeship levy system, which has shifted funds towards classroom training rather than on-the-job learning. He urged employers to take on more apprentices and warned that changes in national insurance contributions could deter businesses from hiring young people through this route.

She thanked the right hon. Member for securing the debate, highlighting that 6.9% of young people in Somerset are not in education, employment or training, which is above the national average of 5.5%. She suggested improving vocational education quality and strengthening careers advice and employer links to enable more young people to access appropriate courses.

She highlighted the importance of apprenticeships and T-levels in addressing skills gaps, especially in STEM fields. Dudley College of Technology offers various T-levels and supports over 4,000 apprenticeships, contributing to regional economic growth. However, women make up only 27% of STEM workers while 52% of the country's workforce are women, indicating a need for more diversity.

He welcomed the debate on apprenticeships and T-Levels, highlighting the importance of high-calibre academic and vocational education opportunities for youth in Mansfield. He praised local colleges and universities' collaborative efforts to provide educational investments that support employment in nursing, engineering, business, criminal justice, and sports science.

Concerned about the lack of skilled workers in tourism and agriculture, Tim Farron highlighted that 80% of Cumbria's workforce is employed in hospitality and tourism. He emphasized the importance of T-levels in catering to boost the pipeline of skilled workers and asked the Minister to consult employers within Cumbria to ensure these qualifications are available. He also pointed out the decline in new farm entrants, which threatens the sector's long-term viability and stressed the need for higher-level apprenticeships in agriculture.

Mr Hayes highlighted the need for more teachers and space in further education, suggesting a medium-term plan to improve pay and conditions for FE teachers. He also emphasized the importance of capital funding for skills infrastructure and questioned the effectiveness of T-level courses due to issues like low student numbers and high dropout rates. Mr Hayes invited the Minister to visit Bournemouth & Poole college to see its successful apprenticeship program with Sunseeker, and proposed creating employer provider-specific funding rules to streamline reporting responsibility. Mr Hayes briefly intervened to ask Mr Brash for clarification, though no further details were provided.