The 157 Group has welcomed the government’s response, published today, to the technical consultation on traineeship funding.
Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, executive director of the 157 Group said, “The key message in this response is that wholesale change to the funding system is not needed. We support an incremental approach that begins to make intelligent use of data about learner outcomes, and are very pleased that this will not result in major disruption to a programme that is only in its second year.
“We welcome the decision to bring about greater alignment between provision for over and under-18s, and the focus on progression to further learning as a positive outcome. Traineeships provide a valuable mechanism for young people to remain engaged with the education system, and we believe today’s response will enhance their ability to be tailored to individual need.
“We remain concerned that the ‘blunt instrument’ of a provider’s Ofsted grade will continue to dictate where traineeships are available. While we understand the desire to make sure that programmes are of a high quality, we continue to believe that some young people are missing out on this important opportunity.”
Peter Roberts, chair of the 157 Group and chief executive of Leeds City College, said, “We are committed to making sure that traineeships can benefit as many young people as possible, and today’s response will, we hope, enable that to continue, while causing minimum disruption for providers. It is good to see so many large employers sharing our commitment, and we hope that the success of traineeships will continue to reflect a fruitful partnership between the worlds of employment and education.”