Consultation on flexible apprenticeships launched

The Department for Education has launched a consultation, seeking views on how to offer more flexible apprenticeship opportunities in sectors with flexible employment patterns and short-term roles, such as agriculture, construction and creative sectors.

At the moment, apprenticeships are at least 12 months long, so such sectors have found it challenging to create enough opportunities.

The new flexi-job apprenticeship schemes would enable an apprentice to work across a range of projects and with different employers to gain the full skills and experience they need to complete their programme. This could include film, TV and theatre production, with one apprentice now being able to work on different productions during their apprenticeship.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "No matter where in the country you are from, we want everyone to be able to get the experience and knowledge they need to get the job they want, while making sure employers have the talented workforce they need.

"Our flexi-job apprenticeships will boost opportunities in sectors like the creative industries where employment is often flexible or short term - creating even more chances for people to experience the life changing opportunity an apprenticeship can bring as we build back better from the pandemic."