COVID Resources

Here you can find Covid-19 resources for apprenticeships in your college.

July

• The apprenticeships coronavirus guidance has been updated to reflect: an announcement that a support service for redundant apprentices will be available soon, information about apprentices returning to onsite course delivery, confirmation that temporary flexibility suspending the funding rule requiring level 2 apprentices to study towards, and attempt, level 2 functional skills assessments has been extended until 31 December 2020 and improvements to the FAQs
• Industry Placement Guidance (Updated 03 July)
• Industry Placement Guide for Students (Updated 03 July)
• Employer Support Package (Updated 03 July)
• Two new industry placement evaluation reports (Updated 03 July)
• IfATE updated guidance (Updated 01 July)

June

• Supporting Apprentices in the Current Climate Webinar Recording (08.06.2020)
  
• Updated with information on which apprentices should be prioritised in the offer of face-to-face training from 15 June, and details of the flexibility that enables apprentices to take end-point assessment ahead of receiving their calculated functional skills qualification results.
  
• Webinar with Peter Mucklow, ESFA, Director of Apprenticeships

May

• Latest Government guidance of flexibilities within traineeship programmes
  
• Key changes for apprenticeships from ESFA and IfATE in response to Covid-19
  
• Non-levy procured apprenticeships contracts:
• Contract extensions were issued to training providers at the beginning of March via the Manage your education and skills funding service, with a start date of 1 April 2020.
• Colleges with existing procured contracts received extensions to these same contracts, which cover the new financial year (2020-21) in full. These extensions were to fund carry over costs for existing apprentices as well as new apprenticeship starts, with start dates up to and including 31 October 2020 – this aligned with ESFA intention for all starts to be through the apprenticeship service from 1 November 2020.
• Considering the challenges being faced by providers and employers as a result of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, ESFA are extending the transition period onto the service – funds available for new starts on non-levy procured contracts can now be used until 31 March 2021.
• ESFA remain committed to giving smaller employers greater control over their apprenticeship choices by moving towards a system in which employers select an apprenticeship standard, choose their training provider and secure access to funding for all new apprenticeships through the apprenticeship service. As originally planned, this means, over time, more employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy will begin to access apprenticeship training via the apprenticeship service, as well as through a provider with an existing government contract (now extended until 31 March 2021).
• Following this extended transition all starts will be through the apprenticeship service from 1 April 2021. Contract variations will be issued in the summer to support the changes and performance management rules will be confirmed shortly through the usual routes.

April

• AoC Apprenticeships in the Current Climate Webinar Recording (23.04.20)
• Continuing training for furloughed apprentices
• Government guidance on Apprenticeships (Updated 06 April)
• There is also guidance on the apprenticeship service about COVID-19

March

• AoC asks for Apprenticeship support (to government) (Updated 24 Mar)