The government urgently needs to step up its response to addressing lower level skills gaps in the economy with Brexit less than a year away, according to a new policy submission by the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP). AELP is calling for DfE ministers to use their spending review proposals and the post 18 education review specifically to:

AELP has teamed up with leading national law firm, VWV, to expand the legal support services available to its members who are engaging with employers and other partner organisations to deliver apprenticeships. The original offer, which was tied in with the apprenticeship levy’s introduction in April 2017, gave members free and exclusive access to template legal contracts for use with levy-funded and non-levy funded employers.

With only two years to go until T Levels become part of the education curriculum, new research published today by City & Guilds and AELP reveals that just 17% of UK employers feel that they have a good understanding of the new qualifications, with almost half (49%) rating their understanding as poor. In addition, almost a quarter (54%) of education providers rate their understanding of T Levels as either middling or poor.

New easy-to-follow guidance to comply with off-the-job training rule for apprenticeships The Association of Employment and Learning Providers has issued updated guidance on how employers and training providers can work together to comply with the 20% off-the-job training (OTJT) rule for apprenticeships.

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers has increased its policy building capacity and representative presence in the capital by launching today a new regional provider network called AELP London. The new network replaces the former London Work Based Learning Alliance (LWBLA) and its membership will comprise independent training providers, colleges, universities and other providers who deliver employment and skills programmes in London.

Following AELP CEO Mark Dawe’s appearance before the Education Committee in the House of Commons on Tuesday, the Association of Employment and Learning Providers has decided to publish the evidence it gathered before publicly expressing serious concerns on the roll-out of the new standards and end point assessment (EPA) arrangements as a critical component of the apprenticeship reforms.

The Board of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) has decided that AELP should formally withdraw from the sector ownership of the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) and that AELP should give up its representation on the ETF Board with immediate effect.

Press release – 07 March 2018 Jointly issued by AELP, Collab Group and HOLEX Representative bodies in FE system publish new best practice guidance for a relationship between a prime provider and subcontractor Management fees charged by a prime FE or skills provider should not be more than 20% of the programme funding and will generally be much less.

High quality training providers and colleges including charities have been denied the opportunity by the government to continue offering apprenticeship training to disadvantaged young people.

Training leaders consider concerns about variable quality in the delivery of government funded skills programmes to be very over-stated following Ofsted’s confirmation today that four out of five independent training providers are good or outstanding. The inspection results in the Chief Inspector’s Annual Report 2016-17 are pertinent to the Commons Education Committee inquiry on the quality of apprenticeship training which begins in the new year.