Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what criteria his Department uses to judge the quality of apprenticeships.

All apprenticeships must be paid jobs; have a minimum duration of 12 months; and offer sustained and substantial training to ensure apprentices gain significant new skills and competence in their occupation.

Employers are designing new apprenticeship standards and assessment approaches that must meet a number of set criteria to ensure quality and consistency across all apprenticeships. These are set out in the “Future of apprenticeships in England: guidance for trailblazers - from standards to starts” https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-apprenticeships-in-england-guidance-for-trailblazers

In England from April 2017, the independent Institute for Apprenticeships will support the quality of apprenticeship standards in England. Ofsted and Ofqual will also continue to inspect, report on and regulate apprenticeships up to and including Level 3.

We are also introducing legislation to protect the term `apprenticeship` from misuse by education and training providers. The aim is to assure employers, apprentices and training providers that action can be taken if poor quality training is mis-sold as an apprenticeship, and that they are investing in high quality apprenticeships.