We are introducing T levels, a high-quality technical alternative to A levels to help young people get the high-wage, high-skill jobs of the future. With longer teaching hours, higher standards and a meaningful industry placement, T levels will be more rigorous and occupationally relevant than many current vocational courses.<\/p>
Alongside the introduction of T levels, we are reviewing post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below. The aim is to ensure that qualifications are necessary, have a distinct purpose, are high- quality and support progression.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Apprenticeships are a high-quality alternative path to a career for people of all ages and we are improving the quality of apprenticeships through making them longer, better, with more off-the job training and proper assessment at the end.<\/p>
We have established 4 National Colleges, which are leading the way in the design and delivery of higher technical skills training, ensuring that industries and sectors which are critical to our national economic growth, have the skills they need.<\/p>
<\/p>
We are investing up to £290 million of capital funding to enable every region in England to establish a high quality Institute of Technology. With state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, and employers in the driving seat, they will give businesses the skilled workforce they need to drive growth and productivity and get more people into rewarding jobs.<\/p>
<\/p>
It is important that students and young people have access to high-quality information and advice about their choices, including technical options and apprenticeships.<\/p>
In 2017 we introduced a new Careers Strategy, setting out a\u202flong-term plan to build a world class careers system that will help young people and adults choose the career that\u2019s right for them. An important element of the strategy is the responsibility that schools and colleges must provide their students with a full picture of their options. This includes a new law introduced in January 2018, under which schools must allow technical education and apprenticeship providers into their schools to talk to pupils about their offer.<\/p>
We have also undertaken a range of activities to make students and young people aware of the benefits an apprenticeship can offer. Our apprenticeships campaign, Fire It Up, is working to promote apprenticeships to young people, demonstrating that they are an aspirational choice for anyone with passion and energy.<\/p>
We are also working with schools to promote apprenticeships to students. We have developed Amazing Apprenticeships, a website and resource portal for schools and teachers. In addition, we offer a free service to schools through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) project to ensure that teachers have the knowledge and support to enable them to promote apprenticeships to their students. Last academic year the ASK programme reached over 300,000 students across 2,368 establishments and from September 2019 it has been extended to include years 7 to 9.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michelle Donelan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chippenham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Michelle Donelan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-30T20:01:47.847Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Apprentices and Vocational Education"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to promote (a) vocational qualifications and (b) apprenticeships to students and young people.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4139", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ian Lavery"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wansbeck"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ian Lavery"} ], "uin" : "4320"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1151794", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1151794/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We want train companies to deliver a modern, convenient, accessible and integrated smart ticketing system for their passengers. In recent years, the Government has worked jointly with the rail industry, including investing a further £80m in smart ticketing, to ensure that passengers have the choice of travelling without a paper ticket across almost all of the rail network.<\/p>
<\/p>
We are now encouraging operators to build on the recent promotion campaign, encourage smart ticketing at the point of ticket purchase, and ensure that they deliver an excellent user experience.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3977", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Daventry"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Heaton-Harris"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-31T15:55:49.837Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Tickets"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the letter of 11 October 2019 from the Minister of State for Transport to the Rail industry on smart ticketing, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) the levers available to train operators to bring forward smart ticketing and (b) the role of Government in delivering that agenda.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4269", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andy McDonald"} ], "uin" : "4332"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1151796", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1151796/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Transport has been working with the Kent Resilience Forum on their plans for driver welfare. Provisions for private motorists may be triggered once traffic has been queuing for at least 4 hours and if required will be distributed to stationary traffic. Any decision to provide welfare for hauliers on the M20 will be taken on the day based on the latest intelligence. If activated there will be welfare services for hauliers at Manston Airfield.<\/p>
<\/p>
The health and safety of drivers is a priority for Highways England and the Department for Transport. For safety reasons a 50mph speed limit will be in operation in both directions on the M20 and to further support the emergency services and drivers, particularly vulnerable users, Highways England will deploy additional traffic officers and enhanced incident support services and vehicle recovery provision.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3977", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Daventry"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Heaton-Harris"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-11-01T10:41:18.987Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "M20: Road Traffic Control"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to (a) ensure adequate facilities for drivers and (b) protect the health and safety of people driving on the M20 during Operation Brock.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4269", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andy McDonald"} ], "uin" : "4333"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1151799", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1151799/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Ministry of Justice has published information on the sentencing outcomes of court proceedings. Information on the age and ethnicity of those prosecuted, the type of crimes and the sentence given can be found by using the Sentencing data tool available here:<\/p>
<\/p>