@FutureLearn first Further Education partnership with @cityandguilds formed to support people who work in industries devastated by Covid-19 Aims to reskill recently unemployed individuals to help them secure a new career in high growth industries via unique career bridging programme.

Since 2014/15, apprenticeship starts at level 2 have dropped from just over 298,000 to approximately 143,000 in 2018/19. A ‘shake up’ of sorts may have been required, and the announcement that the Business Administration apprenticeship framework will not be replaced has revived once again the conversation about the future of level 2 apprenticeships. There is a very real risk that we are further reducing the opportunities that level 2 apprenticeships can bring to individuals and employers.

In the post Brexit world when we are likely to see more challenging trading conditions and find it harder to recruit, it will be more important than ever to ensure that businesses have highly motivated and skilled workforces that are able to be agile to manage in a rapidly changing business landscape.

58% of employers feel middle and senior managers would be unwilling to be seen as an apprentice, despite apprenticeships being a key source of training budget 

69% of UK professionals say they’ll need a new skillset in the next 2-5 years, but lack the support of their employers