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<p>We want to ensure that high quality apprenticeships are a prestigious option, accessible
to all people from all backgrounds. We are encouraging take up from under-represented
groups so that even more people can benefit from the increased wage and employment
prospects that apprenticeships offer.</p><p> </p><p>The latest phase of our marketing
campaign, Get In Go Far, ran until the end of September 2018 and coincided with August's
exam results period when young people look at the options available to them after
school or college. This aimed to help increase the number of vacancies created by
employers and encourage young people to choose an apprenticeship as a high quality
career route, signposting them to new vacancies on offer.</p><p> </p><p>Our funding
policy recognises where additional support is necessary, through extra funding where
the costs of supporting an apprentice are higher, making sure these costs are met
by the government, not by the employer. For example, we provide £1,000 to both employers
and training providers when they take on 16 to 18 year olds and 19 to 24 year olds
who were in care or who have an Education, Health and Care Plan. Earlier this year,
we introduced a new bursary for care leavers starting apprenticeships. This £1,000
bursary is available to all care leavers aged 16 to 24 and is paid directly to the
apprentice.</p><p> </p><p>To further social mobility and to make sure that a higher
quality outcome for individuals is achieved, we want our reforms to mean more apprentices
from disadvantaged areas are undertaking apprenticeships at a higher level, or in
sectors that offer increasing value to the learner. Over the next two years, the National
Apprenticeship Service is focusing on raising the value of apprenticeships undertaken
in disadvantaged areas. This includes a broad-based employer engagement campaign across
the 20 per cent most deprived local authority areas (65 areas in total) and working
with local partners.</p><p> </p><p>We are also increasing the take up of degree apprenticeships
through the Degree Apprenticeship Development Fund. In 2017-18, as part of the bidding
process, we specifically encouraged bids that improve access to Degree Apprenticeships
for disadvantaged and under-represented groups and bids that expand provision in science,
technology, engineering and maths occupations (STEM) and gender diversity in STEM.</p><p>
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