Two significant announcements for the apprenticeship and skills sector

28 April 2020

As part of our commitment to keep you updated on crucial communications topics, we wanted to let you know immediately about 2 critical announcements that have just been made.

Apprenticeship programme response to COVID-19 - Version 3 of the guidance has just been published.

It can be read here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-apprenticeship-programme-response/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-apprentices-employers-training-providers-end-point-assessment-organisations-and-external-quality-assurance-pro

This version focuses on:

• Further information on calculating wages for furloughed apprentices
• Clarification that a furloughed employee can start an apprenticeship
• Information on collecting signatures
• Additional content on flexibilities of end-point assessment
• Flexibilities for English and Maths functional skills for Intermediate (level 2) apprentices
• Flexibilities on qualification certification

The Nation Apprenticeship Service will be setting up webinars shortly where the policy authors will go through the changes and take part in a question and answer session. The webinars enable them to listen to your views and capture your valuable insight. We will post information as soon as it is received. 

Provider Relief Scheme

This scheme is not only for Independent Training Providers. Any provider with AEB and non-levy apprenticeship contracts for services are eligible - subject to conditions.

The Provider Relief Scheme will open for applications today and is available to training providers with contracts for services that were procured as a service under the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

The purpose of the Relief Scheme is to ensure training providers can continue to deliver high quality education and training to make sure we have the skills needed to rebuild our economy post COVID-19. 

This also includes supporting new learners where possible to get the skills they need to progress.

Training providers will need to demonstrate that they have a need for the funding requested in order to maintain capacity within their organisations to support learners and respond to the economic recovery. 

If successful, providers will later need to provide a summary of how the funds have been used, and retain evidence, for audit purposes, that they have delivered activities prescribed by the scheme and that the funds have been used for eligible costs.

NAS reserve the right to recover unused funds or funds used inappropriately.

The closing date for applications is 30 April 2020 at midnight and providers will be notified if they are to receive support on or around 15 May 2020.

All the details can be read here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-post-16-provider-relief-scheme