Army Apprentice College Harrogate

(asked on 21st December 2017) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many recruits training at AFC Harrogate completed an apprenticeship in each of the past five years; and how many of those apprenticeships were apprenticeships in Public Services.


This question was answered on 8th January 2018

AFC Harrogate (AFC(H)) does not offer a full BTEC course due to the lack of time available within the syllabus; instead it offers modules of a Public Services Elements (BTEC) certificate which is matched to an individual junior soldier’s need, depending on their educational attainment to date.

Rather than offering GCSE re-sits, AFC(H) focuses on the delivery of functional skills training and qualifications, including Functional Skills Levels 1 and 2 in English, mathematics and ICT. These vocational qualifications are career focused and are also recognised by civilian employers. They give junior soldiers the best opportunity to progress in their career, and are therefore more relevant to advancing their social mobility. A high percentage of those who have entered through Junior Entry, and choose to remain in service, will be promoted through the ranks, to become Non Commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers in the British Army after gaining these functional skills.

All junior soldiers at AFC (H) are enrolled onto the Army apprenticeship, which is then transferred to a trade-related apprenticeship when they commence initial trade training, following graduation from AFC(H). To provide a detailed breakdown of achievement in apprenticeships specific to AFC(H) is not possible, as this information is not held in the required format and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Whilst the Army tracks apprenticeship achievements for all of its personnel, it does not monitor this against their points of entry, as this is not required in order to meet its business needs.

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