Asked by: Earl of Leicester (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 7 March (HL5760), how the increased funding for apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024–25 financial year for supporting apprenticeships in arboriculture will be spent.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Apprenticeships provide people with the opportunity to earn and learn the skills needed to start a career in the arboriculture sector. There have been over 5.4 million apprenticeship starts since 2010, with 99.6% of the apprenticeships budget spent to support employers of all sizes to deliver high-quality apprenticeships in the 2021/22 financial year.
To support more employers across the country to recruit new apprentices, the department is increasing funding for apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year. This funding will not only help employers to create new apprenticeships across various sectors, including in arboriculture, but it will also cover the ongoing costs of apprentices already undergoing training, the cost of end-point assessments and any additional payments made to employers and training providers.
The below table shows apprenticeship starts and achievements for the level 2 Arborist apprenticeship standard, with a typical duration of 24 months. There have been no starts on the level 4 Arboriculturist or level 6 Professional Arboriculturist apprenticeship standards, as they are currently awaiting an appropriate end-point assessment organisation to be appointed.
Academic Year | Number of Starts | Number of Achievements |
2017/18 | 130 | 0 |
2018/19 | 170 | 0 |
2019/20 | 170 | 0 |
2020/21 | 220 | 10 |
2021/22 | 190 | 20 |
2022/23 (Aug to Jan, as published in March 2023) | 170 | 10 |
Note: Volumes are rounded to the nearest 10. Annual starts and achievements measures should not be directly compared, as apprentices will not achieve in the same year in which they started. The apprenticeship typically takes around two years to complete, and learners may take a break in learning during their apprenticeship.
The level 2 Arborist standard is presently undergoing a comprehensive review led by the trailblazer group, in collaboration with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. Their collective efforts aim to improve the end-point assessment process, thereby increasing the number of apprentices who successfully attain the qualification. The revised standard is scheduled to be introduced by autumn 2023.
To encourage more starts, the department is making apprenticeships more flexible for employers in all sectors, supporting them to build a skilled workforce and develop a diverse pipeline of talent for the future. Furthermore, we have removed the limit to the number of apprentices that smaller employers can take on, making it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to grow their businesses with the skilled apprentices they need. The department also provides £1,000 to employers and training providers when they take on certain younger apprentices.
The department continues to actively promote apprenticeships in schools and colleges through our Apprenticeships Support and Knowledge Programme. This free service provides resources and interventions to help better educate young people about apprenticeships by giving them up-to-date information on the options available, including apprenticeships in arboriculture sector.
We do not hold information on the number of employers and professional bodies in the arboriculture sector that are signed up to Inspiring the Future, because the programme is not government funded. To obtain comprehensive and accurate information, we recommend contacting Inspiring the Future directly via their website, which can be accessed at: https://www.inspiringthefuture.org/about/contact-us/.
Asked by: Earl of Leicester (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) employers, and (2) professional bodies, in the arboriculture sector are currently signed up to the Inspiring the Future programme.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Apprenticeships provide people with the opportunity to earn and learn the skills needed to start a career in the arboriculture sector. There have been over 5.4 million apprenticeship starts since 2010, with 99.6% of the apprenticeships budget spent to support employers of all sizes to deliver high-quality apprenticeships in the 2021/22 financial year.
To support more employers across the country to recruit new apprentices, the department is increasing funding for apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year. This funding will not only help employers to create new apprenticeships across various sectors, including in arboriculture, but it will also cover the ongoing costs of apprentices already undergoing training, the cost of end-point assessments and any additional payments made to employers and training providers.
The below table shows apprenticeship starts and achievements for the level 2 Arborist apprenticeship standard, with a typical duration of 24 months. There have been no starts on the level 4 Arboriculturist or level 6 Professional Arboriculturist apprenticeship standards, as they are currently awaiting an appropriate end-point assessment organisation to be appointed.
Academic Year | Number of Starts | Number of Achievements |
2017/18 | 130 | 0 |
2018/19 | 170 | 0 |
2019/20 | 170 | 0 |
2020/21 | 220 | 10 |
2021/22 | 190 | 20 |
2022/23 (Aug to Jan, as published in March 2023) | 170 | 10 |
Note: Volumes are rounded to the nearest 10. Annual starts and achievements measures should not be directly compared, as apprentices will not achieve in the same year in which they started. The apprenticeship typically takes around two years to complete, and learners may take a break in learning during their apprenticeship.
The level 2 Arborist standard is presently undergoing a comprehensive review led by the trailblazer group, in collaboration with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. Their collective efforts aim to improve the end-point assessment process, thereby increasing the number of apprentices who successfully attain the qualification. The revised standard is scheduled to be introduced by autumn 2023.
To encourage more starts, the department is making apprenticeships more flexible for employers in all sectors, supporting them to build a skilled workforce and develop a diverse pipeline of talent for the future. Furthermore, we have removed the limit to the number of apprentices that smaller employers can take on, making it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to grow their businesses with the skilled apprentices they need. The department also provides £1,000 to employers and training providers when they take on certain younger apprentices.
The department continues to actively promote apprenticeships in schools and colleges through our Apprenticeships Support and Knowledge Programme. This free service provides resources and interventions to help better educate young people about apprenticeships by giving them up-to-date information on the options available, including apprenticeships in arboriculture sector.
We do not hold information on the number of employers and professional bodies in the arboriculture sector that are signed up to Inspiring the Future, because the programme is not government funded. To obtain comprehensive and accurate information, we recommend contacting Inspiring the Future directly via their website, which can be accessed at: https://www.inspiringthefuture.org/about/contact-us/.
Asked by: Earl of Leicester (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people (1) started, and (2) completed, an (a) Entry Level 2, (b) Level 4, and (c) Level 6, arboriculture apprenticeship in each of the past five years; and what steps they are taking to increase that number.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Apprenticeships provide people with the opportunity to earn and learn the skills needed to start a career in the arboriculture sector. There have been over 5.4 million apprenticeship starts since 2010, with 99.6% of the apprenticeships budget spent to support employers of all sizes to deliver high-quality apprenticeships in the 2021/22 financial year.
To support more employers across the country to recruit new apprentices, the department is increasing funding for apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year. This funding will not only help employers to create new apprenticeships across various sectors, including in arboriculture, but it will also cover the ongoing costs of apprentices already undergoing training, the cost of end-point assessments and any additional payments made to employers and training providers.
The below table shows apprenticeship starts and achievements for the level 2 Arborist apprenticeship standard, with a typical duration of 24 months. There have been no starts on the level 4 Arboriculturist or level 6 Professional Arboriculturist apprenticeship standards, as they are currently awaiting an appropriate end-point assessment organisation to be appointed.
Academic Year | Number of Starts | Number of Achievements |
2017/18 | 130 | 0 |
2018/19 | 170 | 0 |
2019/20 | 170 | 0 |
2020/21 | 220 | 10 |
2021/22 | 190 | 20 |
2022/23 (Aug to Jan, as published in March 2023) | 170 | 10 |
Note: Volumes are rounded to the nearest 10. Annual starts and achievements measures should not be directly compared, as apprentices will not achieve in the same year in which they started. The apprenticeship typically takes around two years to complete, and learners may take a break in learning during their apprenticeship.
The level 2 Arborist standard is presently undergoing a comprehensive review led by the trailblazer group, in collaboration with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. Their collective efforts aim to improve the end-point assessment process, thereby increasing the number of apprentices who successfully attain the qualification. The revised standard is scheduled to be introduced by autumn 2023.
To encourage more starts, the department is making apprenticeships more flexible for employers in all sectors, supporting them to build a skilled workforce and develop a diverse pipeline of talent for the future. Furthermore, we have removed the limit to the number of apprentices that smaller employers can take on, making it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to grow their businesses with the skilled apprentices they need. The department also provides £1,000 to employers and training providers when they take on certain younger apprentices.
The department continues to actively promote apprenticeships in schools and colleges through our Apprenticeships Support and Knowledge Programme. This free service provides resources and interventions to help better educate young people about apprenticeships by giving them up-to-date information on the options available, including apprenticeships in arboriculture sector.
We do not hold information on the number of employers and professional bodies in the arboriculture sector that are signed up to Inspiring the Future, because the programme is not government funded. To obtain comprehensive and accurate information, we recommend contacting Inspiring the Future directly via their website, which can be accessed at: https://www.inspiringthefuture.org/about/contact-us/.
Asked by: Earl of Leicester (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people (1) started, and (2) completed, an arborist apprenticeship for each year between 2017 and 2022.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Apprenticeship starts and achievements on the Arborist Apprenticeship Standard (ST0223) are shown in the below table.
Academic Year | Starts | Achievements |
2017/18 Full Year | 130 | 0 |
2018/19 Full Year | 170 | 0 |
2019/20 Full Year | 170 | 0 |
2020/21 Full Year | 220 | 10 |
2021/22 Full Year | 190 | 20 |
2022/23 (Aug to Oct) | 140 | Low |
Volumes are rounded to the nearest 10 and 'low' indicates a base value of fewer than five. This data has come from the Apprenticeships and Traineeships 2022/23 release, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/223f5602-9c34-4509-943f-08db08498a11.
Asked by: Earl of Leicester (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what they are doing to encourage more people to enter careers in arboriculture.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants to ensure that people get high quality, impartial advice on the full range of education, training, and career pathways, including careers in arboriculture.
Employers have designed three high-quality apprenticeship standards in arboriculture at entry level 2, level 4, and level 6, to support them to develop the skilled workforces they need. The department recognises that current numbers of apprentices who complete apprenticeships in arboriculture is low. To support more employers and learners to access apprenticeships, the department is increasing funding for apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year. Based on the same employer-led standards as apprenticeships, T Levels in Agriculture, Land Management and Production will be taught for the first time this September. This course allows students to specialise in Trees and Woodlands Management.
The department works with the Careers & Enterprise Company to support secondary schools and colleges to provide pupils with at least one meaningful interaction with employers per pupil per year, an experience of the workplace by age 16 and a further experience by age 18. There are lots of ways employers can engage with the Careers & Enterprise Company, including volunteering to work with individual schools or colleges and working with Careers Hubs on a larger local or regional scale. Industry partnerships support business and sector bodies to share up-to-date information about new pathways into their sector to education leaders and young people and increase the representation of their sector nationally. Employers can find out more via the Careers & Enterprise Company website at: https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/employers/.
The National Careers Service (NCS) supports both young people over 13 and adults in offering careers advice across all employment sectors. The website includes around 800 job profiles, describing what these roles entail, qualifications, and entry routes. The NCS can also work with industry to disseminate information to career leaders and careers advisers, in schools, colleges, and in the community via bulletins and newsletters.
The department also funds the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme, which provides information, advice and guidance to young people in years 10 to 13 in schools, and further education colleges. At a cost of £3.2 million per year, the programme reached 680,000 young people in the 2021/22 academic year, and over 2,000 schools. It supports young people, parents and carers and teachers into understanding and applying for apprenticeships, T Levels, and Traineeships.
Employers and professional bodies in the arboriculture sector can sign up to Inspiring the Future, run by the Education and Employers charity. This free programme allows volunteers to visit state schools to talk to pupils about their jobs. This will raise the profile of various careers within the arboriculture sector. This is available at: https://www.inspiringthefuture.org.
Asked by: Earl of Leicester (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the rates of young people in the UK forging careers in the farming industry.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has introduced T Levels which will provide students with a high quality, technical alternative to A levels after GCSEs. T Levels in Agriculture, Land Management & Production and Animal Care & Management will be available from September 2023.
We are committed to supporting more young people into apprenticeships in the agriculture, environmental and animal care sectors. Funding for apprenticeships in England will grow to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year to support more apprenticeships in employers of all sizes. There are currently 40 high-quality, employer-designed apprenticeship standards available in these sectors, in occupations such as crop technician, livestock unit technician and agriculture professional adviser. Alongside this, there are a number of land-based providers delivering specific provision in farming and agriculture to cater for those pursing qualifications and careers in these areas.
The Free Courses for Jobs offer, which was launched in April 2021, gives eligible adults the chance to access high value level 3 qualifications, including 18 agricultural qualifications, for free, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job.
The Careers & Enterprise Company is supporting schools and colleges to embed best practice in the delivery of careers information, advice and guidance, so young people are aware of the full range of training and careers available to them and have access to a broad range of employers and workplaces, including those in the agricultural, forestry and fishing sectors. This will be delivered through the national roll-out of Career Hubs, Career Leader training, and the Enterprise Adviser Network.
The National Careers Service, a free, government funded careers information, advice and guidance service draws on a range of labour market information to support and guide individuals. It is impartial, and careers guidance is tailored to individual needs, but careers advisers can play a key role in alerting people to the range of farming careers available. National Careers Service supports this through disseminating regular information to careers advisers.
The Service website gives customers access to a range of useful digital tools and resources to support them including ‘Explore Careers’ which includes more than 130 industry areas and more than 800 job profiles including include a range of roles in the farming industry, describing what those roles entail, qualifications and entry routes.
Asked by: Earl of Leicester (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many apprenticeships in the farming industry were (1) started, and (2) completed, in each year between 2018 and 2021.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department publishes the Apprenticeships in England by Industry Characteristics publication that shows apprenticeship starts amongst employers in the Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing enterprise sector: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-in-england-by-industry-characteristics#content-3-heading.
Apprenticeship starts in the Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing sector (and its sub-divisions) from the 2017/18 to the 2020/21 academic years are shown in the attached table and can be found in the 'Apprenticeship starts' tab.
Industry based data is not held for achievements. However, the most timely data for starts and achievements for apprentices studying agricultural and related subjects from the 2017/18 to the 2020/21 academic years can also be found in the attached table and can be found in the 'Starts and achievements' tab.
Asked by: Earl of Leicester (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to teach school children about the countryside and British farming.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
There are opportunities within the geography and science curriculums to teach about the countryside, farming and agriculture, and how important the latter are to food production. These do not feature as stand-alone topics in the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum is a framework designed to give teachers the freedom and flexibility to cover particular topics in greater depth if they wish, and this could include teaching about the countryside and farming.
As part of the department’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, our National Education Nature Park initiative will also give children and young people the opportunity to learn about and connect with nature.
By 2025 we aim to introduce a natural history GCSE, giving young people a further opportunity to engage with and develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the natural world. In studying this GCSE, young people will explore organisms and environments in more depth, gain knowledge and practical experience of fieldwork and develop a greater understanding of conservation.