Apprenticeship Insights | AI That Helps, Not Replaces, Teachers 🤖

Accelerate People at The Big Apprentice Meetup: Manchester This Week! 📚

The Big Apprentice Meetup is happening this week, and Accelerate People are proud sponsors of this key event focused on celebrating and advancing apprenticeships.

Don’t miss Zac Aldridge, Executive Director at Accelerate People, presenting: ‘Behind the Scenes of an EPA: What Every Apprentice Needs to Know.’

Zac will talk through the end-point assessment process, share practical tips for apprentice success, and explore common challenges, including how we help apprentices to overcome them at Accelerate People.

🔗 Read Zac’s post here on LinkedIn for a session preview and join the conversation shaping the future of apprenticeships

EDTECH INNOVATION

AI in Education Works Best When It Supports, Not Replaces, Educators

Despite the projected growth of the global education sector to $10 trillion by 2030, EdTech investment has declined, revealing a misalignment between technological advancement and practical classroom needs. Over-reliance on AI and automation has often led to diluted learning experiences, as technology is designed to replace rather than empower educators. Research shows that AI-powered learning platforms without teacher involvement can result in low student engagement and confidence, particularly in areas requiring real human interaction.

The future of EdTech lies in a balanced integration where AI complements teachers, not substitutes them. Companies should collaborate with educators in AI development, focusing on tools that personalise and enhance rather than mechanise learning. Evidence from both chess and language learning confirms that AI, when thoughtfully paired with human expertise, fosters deeper learning and greater student success. Ultimately, the most effective educational experiences remain anchored in human connection, supported—not overshadowed—by technology.

DIGITAL SKILLS DIVIDE

AI Skills Surge Highlights Urgent Need to Tackle UK Digital Poverty Divide

Demand for AI and GenAI skills, as evidenced by an 866% surge in enrolments on Coursera, is outpacing the UK workforce’s digital readiness, with 7.5 million adults still lacking basic digital skills. This gulf is compounded by gender disparity—only 31% of AI course learners are women—and a sharp decline in computing studies among young people, particularly girls, by age 14. Furthermore, only 17% of teachers report formal digital skills training, highlighting a critical pipeline issue for digital competence.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Apprenticeship Levy Reform Needed To Support Flexible Training And Economic Growth

Amending the apprenticeship levy is not just desirable but urgent, given its present misalignment with both business needs and the realities of a dynamic labour market. Key reforms include freeing up rules to boost apprenticeship uptake, adapting to flexible work patterns, and funnelling resources towards levels 1-4, where employment demand is strongest—countering the current drift of funds to upper-level apprenticeships, which are less in demand.

Encouragingly, Skills England's willingness to trial shorter, modular courses represents genuine progress, responding to employer calls for practical and adaptable workforce development. However, rapid and decisive government action is crucial to realign the levy, streamline investment where it matters most, and integrate skills policy within a broader industrial strategy. Addressing these issues will ensure the levy fulfils its potential as a driver of meaningful upskilling, rather than remaining an underutilised payroll tax.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT - SKILLS DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Skills England Leaders Sidestep Questions on Further Education Funding Decisions

Skills England’s leadership clarified that decisions on further education funding rest squarely with ministers, rather than the agency itself. While the agency is committed to providing robust data and evidence on skills shortages and training needs, it avoided direct answers on whether it would lobby for improved resources or challenge underfunding. Instead, Skills England emphasised its role as a convenor for providers, employers, and local governments, focusing on opportunities and collaboration rather than barriers.

The agency is poised to inherit technical education and apprenticeship standards from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, promising clearer communication and greater alignment across the skills landscape. With upcoming board appointments and a holistic view on training solutions, there is hope the agency can drive progress—provided it can navigate its reliance on ministerial decisions and maintain genuine influence across government.

IN OTHER APPRENTICESHIP NEWS

Wales’ Young Talent Prepares To Compete At EuroSkills Herning 2025

Wales' contribution to Team UK at EuroSkills Herning 2025 demonstrates a robust focus on skills excellence, with seven Welsh competitors making up a significant portion of the 19-strong UK delegation. Participants, selected and intensively trained in collaboration with WorldSkills UK and Pearson, will showcase their expertise in vital sectors such as construction, digital, and emerging green technologies—highlighting the importance of world-class training in driving both economic and industry growth.

This event serves not only as a prestigious competition but also as a critical benchmark for the UK’s readiness ahead of the WorldSkills 2026 in Shanghai. Beyond individual achievement, the process strengthens educational institutions and fosters a culture of high standards and innovation—crucial for nurturing the next generation of skilled professionals and sustaining national competitiveness in an evolving global skills landscape.

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