Can apprenticeships close the UK’s STEM skills gap?

apprenticeships – a young man in an engineering lab

A lack of workers with the correct STEM skills is reportedly costing the UK economy around £1.5 billion per annum. But could improving and developing STEM apprenticeships be the solution? Apprenticeships are becoming more popular than ever before, which is encouraging. But more still needs to be done to close the STEM skills gap. Perhaps due […]

APPRENTICESHIPS: A QUESTION OF QUALITY

Louise Doyle, director at Mesma, on ensuring the quality of apprenticeships

Louise Doyle, director at Mesma, on ensuring the quality of apprenticeships… The figures below are the results of Ofsted inspection activity in-year. It’s important to note these grades are for apprenticeship provision. This means they are not specific to any one type of provider. It’s surprising how often this is misunderstood. • 17/18 – Ofsted graded […]

The Open University launches social worker degree apprenticeship

The OU has launched a social worker degree apprenticeship

The Open University has launched its Social Worker Degree Apprenticeship, supporting more people into higher education and providing a new, flexible route into becoming a social worker. With 25 years experience of delivering work-based training in social work, The Open University recently completed a year-long study into improving retention and diversity in the sector – ‘Social Work for Everyone’ – funded by the Higher […]

Ofsted Report Analysis Show Positive Impacts, Says Mesma

Carole Loader from Mesma

Analysis of Ofsted’s early monitoring visits to employers, independent training providers and universities by online quality assurance specialist Mesma has revealed some positive impacts.  The news comes as Ofsted says that the levy has contributed to a huge increase in the number of providers delivering apprenticeships, doubling the numbers of independent learning providers and employer […]

A Level Results Day: “School leavers think apprenticeships are for underachievers”

Arch Apprentices - apprenticeships

As school leavers across England and Wales collect their A level results, it seems misconceptions remain regarding one of the most dynamic post-school career options available – apprenticeships. New research from Arch Apprentices has suggested that negative perceptions about apprenticeships are still rife among Britain’s exam students. Specifically among females, the supposed lack of academic credibility is still […]