Updated to refer to phased reforms to apprenticeship assessment, including allowing assessment to be carried out at any stage of the apprenticeship, and the Government commitment to fully fund SME apprenticeships for apprentices aged under 25.
The Apprenticeships (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/599) reduce the minimum duration of the practical period of apprenticeships in England from 12 to eight months.
The Regulations allow apprentices undertaking specified apprenticeship standards to move between different arrangements throughout their apprenticeship.
We look at the challenges that local authorities face in meeting the public sector apprenticeship target, alongside the opportunities that apprenticeships can present for local government employers.