Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) qualifications are available to Armed Forces personnel that are recognised outside the services, (b) proportion of personnel leave the Forces with one or more such qualifications and (c) assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing that proportion.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the value of a skilled, sustainable, capable workforce, trained and equipped to defend the nation’s interests. To achieve this, Defence policy directs that, where possible, all mandatory military training and education is accredited and leads towards a full or partial nationally recognised qualification. Due to the niche content of some Defence courses, it is recognised that an externally recognised qualification may not always be possible. In such cases, individuals may ‘top up’ their learning enabling them to achieve a full qualification through a combination of accreditation and additional learning

Over 600 nationally recognised qualifications are delivered to Service Personnel across the single services from level 1 to level 8 on the regulated qualifications framework. Qualifications cover a wide range of subject areas including aviation, engineering, IT, leadership, and medical. Further opportunities for obtaining qualifications in service are available the single services and the MOD’s elective education schemes.

The largest area for qualification attainment is the Armed Forces Apprenticeship Programme. Over 95% of all non-commissioned recruits commence an apprenticeship as part of their trade training, with over 20,000 Service personnel on an apprenticeship at any one time. Where an apprenticeship is not available an alternative appropriate nationally recognised qualification is offered. As part of their programme, all recruits will achieve at least L1 Maths and English Functional Skills, with higher levels required for promotion.

The MOD has recently undertaken a Defence wide accreditation review, which highlights the MOD’s commitment to lifelong learning of its Service Personnel. It is envisaged that findings and recommendations from the review will further improve the accreditation and qualification offer across Defence.