Many UK apprenticeships are world-class, but there remains more to be done to improve the quality of apprenticeships and ensure they clearly contribute to an exceptional technical education system. Our ongoing projects in this space including the following areas:

• Identifying how to establish strong integration between end-point assessment and professional registration
• Understanding why women are under-represented in certain apprenticeships, particularly those in engineering
• Exploring the strengths and weaknesses of apprenticeship systems in other countries

The Department for Education (DfE) recently undertook a review into higher level technical education (including qualifications such as HNDs, Foundation degrees, and Professional diplomas). This is part of the government’s work to support the higher level skills that businesses and the economy need. The DfE are expected to release a response to that consultation in due course.

The Gatsby Foundation is supporting the DfE to better understand how providers engage with employers and students to deliver and develop Level 4 and 5 provision that aligns with the skills needs of the economy and supports learners’ social mobility. We are interested in topics including employer and provider engagement with this part of the education system, and understanding what encourages students to undertake Level 4 and 5 qualifications. To learn more about these topics, we asked York Consulting to conduct a series of interviews with education providers in England who offer Levels 4 and 5. You can read their report, and others we have commissioned in this area on the reports page of this website.