North Swindon MP Welcomes Reforms To Ensure Apprenticeship Levy Delivers For Students & Employers

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson has welcomed a package of reforms to ensure the Apprenticeship Levy provides people with the skills they need to succeed.

The changes include a £90 million investment to enable employers to use a quarter of their apprenticeship funds on people working for businesses in their supply chain.

In addition to this, a further £5 million has been announced for the Institute for Apprenticeships to introduce new standards and updating existing ones so that more courses can be offered – which will increase the options for people wanting to undertake an apprenticeship.

The reforms aim to at providing flexibility for businesses so they can take full advantage of the benefits of employing apprentices, and to help as many people as possible find the right training to equip them for the new economy.

The number of apprentices continues to rise, with 119,500 starts reported in the first three quarters of 2017/1 - more than ten-times higher than the same period the previous year.

Since 2015 1.41 million apprenticeships have been taken up, and in Swindon more than 12,000 apprenticeships have been started since 2010.

Justin Tomlinson MP said: “Apprenticeships provide a fantastic way for people to earn as they train and develop new skills, and I am delighted that the Government continues to invest in apprenticeships and is working to make it easier for companies to offer apprenticeships and increase the training options available..”