Cabinet readout - Dec 12

The Prime Minister led a discussion on the Government’s reforms to the apprenticeship system in England and the long-term decisions needed to deliver further opportunities for the next generation.

The Prime Minister said that education is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet to improve people’s lives and the success of this country. He said the government had delivered – with recent statistics showing a big increase in England’s standing in global league tables, and massive improvements to apprenticeship and skills training, with over 5.7 million starts since 2010. 

He said the introduction of the Advanced British Standard would finally achieve parity between academic and skills qualifications. 

The Education Secretary underlined the importance of skills and apprenticeships in helping to further grow the economy. She said that in recent years the government had introduced a system which went far beyond the traditional model for apprenticeships which focused heavily on the manufacturing and construction sectors. She said that England now has apprenticeships mapped to 68% of job roles compared to just a third in Germany. 

Cabinet then heard from Sir Michael Barber, the Government’s independent adviser on skills reform delivery. He said the reforms introduced in recent years were a significant success story and that the foundations were now in place to deliver a skills system that was world leading. 

The Prime Minister concluded Cabinet by saying there was more to do to ensure everyone had the right skills to do their jobs and could continue to learn long after they have finished formal education. He said the government would have their back every step of the way.