Key UKHospitality asks delivered in apprenticeship changes

Reduced apprenticeship durations and flexibility in entry requirements have both been key UKHospitality asks

The Department for Education has announced two key changes to apprenticeships, delivering on longstanding asks from UKHospitality.

It announced that:

• Businesses will be able to decide whether adult learners over the age of 19 will need to complete level 2 English and maths qualifications in order to pass.

• The minimum duration of an apprenticeship will be reduced to eight months, down from the current minimum of 12 months.

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “Introducing more flexibility into apprenticeships is something UKHospitality has long been calling for and I’m pleased the Government has acted on this.

“Having run our own highly successful skills training pilot in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions, we know how effective hospitality is in getting people into work. I’m confident that these changes can help us go even further and drive more apprenticeships in hospitality, a sector with huge growth potential.

“Giving businesses more control over the apprenticeship requirements, so they are relevant to the role, is critical and will remove a significant barrier for both the employer and the apprentice.

“Reducing the minimum duration for apprenticeships can deliver more targeted training, get people fully trained even quicker and give employees the chance to move up the hospitality career ladder.

“Hospitality is unique in its ability to offer unrivalled career opportunities, demonstrated by the majority of its workforce and management entering the sector without a degree. Many of those people will have come through apprenticeships.

“I look forward to working with the Government on its plans for both apprenticeships and the Skills and Growth Levy, where I hope to see further moves to give business greater flexibility across funding and the introduction of modular training.”