Employer Webinar: Apprenticeship Changes – What They Mean for You

Overview

This webinar comes at a pivotal moment for employers navigating a rapidly evolving skills and apprenticeship landscape. Recent government announcements have introduced a series of significant changes, including new employer incentives, the rollout of apprenticeship units, and the streamlining of standards. Together, these reforms are beginning to reshape how employers recruit, train and develop their workforce.

For many employers, the direction of travel is becoming clearer, but the detail and practical implications remain complex. Decisions about whether to recruit apprentices, invest in upskilling existing staff, or engage with new training models are being made in real time, often without a full picture of how the system will operate in practice. This session is designed to help bridge that gap.

Delivered in partnership with AELP, the St Martin’s Group and the 5% Club, the webinar will provide a clear and accessible overview of what is changing, when changes are expected to take effect, and what this means for employers on the ground. The session will explore key themes including the impact of financial incentives on recruitment decisions, the role and purpose of apprenticeship units, and how the removal or reform of certain standards may affect workforce planning.

Agenda

The webinar will take the form of a moderated panel discussion with short scene-setting inputs, followed by interactive elements (live polling and Q&A) to gather employer insight.

Chair: Ben Rowland (AELP)

2:00–2:05 | Welcome and introduction

Opening remarks from Chair

Overview of purpose, audience, and what attendees will gain

2:05–2:15 | Scene-setting: what’s changing and when

Short overview of recent policy changes:

Streamlining of standards

Employer incentives

Apprenticeship units

Delivered by AELP (Ben Rowland / Simon Ashworth)

2:15–2:35 | Panel discussion: what this means for employers

Contributions from:

Simon Ashworth (AELP)

Lindsay Conroy (The 5% Club)

Emily Rock (St Martin’s Group)

Focus on practical implications for:

Recruitment decisions

Workforce development

Engagement with apprenticeships

2:35–2:45 | Interactive polling and audience insight

Live polls to gather employer views on:

Likely response to incentives

Appetite for apprenticeship units

Impact of streamlining decisions

Brief reflections from panel on emerging results

2:45–2:55 | Q&A

Open Q&A with attendees (submitted via chat)

Chair to prioritise questions reflecting common themes

2:55–3:00 | Closing remarks and next steps

Summary of key messages

How insights will be used to inform engagement with government

Signposting to further support and resources

What you will learn

By the end of the webinar, attendees will have a clearer understanding of the recent changes to apprenticeships, including incentives, units and the streamlining of standards, and how these are likely to affect their organisation. They will feel more confident navigating the system and making informed decisions about recruitment and workforce development. Attendees will also gain practical insight into how other employers are responding, and leave better equipped to review their current approach, identify opportunities to engage, and contribute informed feedback that can help shape future policy.

Who should attend?

This webinar is aimed at employers of all sizes and sectors who are engaging with, or considering engaging with, apprenticeships and workforce development.

In particular, it will be relevant to: