Event Summary

We are pleased to announce Westminster Insight’s The Future of Apprenticeships Conference, coming to London this December.

The Government is addressing the challenges in apprenticeships through a series of reforms designed to deliver more agile, high-quality skills system – one that can respond to the needs of a fast-changing economy and open more opportunities for young people.

At the centre of these reforms sit the new Growth and Skills Levy and a shift towards shorter apprenticeship units. The 2026/27 funding rules have been published, while Ofqual has introduced its new Apprenticeship Assessment Regulatory Framework. A full review of apprenticeship subcontracting rules and policy is also set to run over July and August, with changes coming into effect from 2027.

With a new political backdrop, what can education settings, providers, employers and assessment organisations expect? Ideally timed in December, this practical one-day conference unpacks what providers, awarding organisations and employers need to know for 2027 and beyond.

With youth apprenticeship starts down 40% over the past decade, we’ll cover the Government’s response: SME incentives for 16-24 year-old apprentices, foundation apprenticeships, and training programmes for 16-21s, and shorter “apprenticeship units” in sectors like AI and engineering.

We’ll also look at next steps for Local Skills Improvement Plans and the role of Employer Representative Bodies; the implications of DWP’s subcontracting review, running July-August with changes from 2027; and how Ofqual’s new regulatory framework is reshaping apprenticeship assessment, including the shift to more flexible, in-programme models.

Skills England reports demand in priority sectors will grow by 24% over the next decade. We’ll explore its Sectoral Skills Needs Assessments, showing where skills demand is growing fastest – digital, engineering, construction, clean energy and adult social care – and where provision is falling short, plus how providers and employers can align their offer accordingly.

Don’t miss this chance to find out how to make the most of the reforms: for employers, using the new incentives and flexibility to boost uptake and fill skills gaps; for providers, designing programmes that meet modern demands.

Take away practical insights and expert guidance to strengthen your apprenticeship offer and meet different employers and providers from across the country.

Key Points

  • The policy context: priorities, pace and direction of travel under the new Government
  • Making the most of the Growth and Skills Levy, funding rules and incentives for SMEs
  • Attracting young people into apprenticeships, including foundation apprenticeships and support for NEETs
  • Assessment reform: Ofqual’s Apprenticeship Assessment Regulatory Framework
  • The revised Essential Digital Skills Standards
  • Apprenticeship units and the need for flexible, targeted skills development
  • Clear pathways: technical education and apprenticeships as routes into and progression through employment
  • Improving your offer and uptake: positioning Apprenticeships as an attractive funded route into a career

Sponsorship

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Group discounts

Contact us for group rates.