The National Apprenticeships Conference 2025 – New Perspectives, New Opportunities
Past and Present Supporters include:
Overview
Despite recent progress in the jobs market, vacancies in August 2024 remained at 11% above the pre-coronavirus pandemic rates of March 2020 (Office for National Statistics).
With apprenticeships playing a key role in upskilling the workforce, it is essential they are delivered and recruited for effectively to fill roles and meet the skills needs of the country. And yet figures for active participation in apprenticeships for 2023/24 were actually down by 2.3% from 2022/23.
What can colleges, higher education institutes, employers and training providers do to capitalise on the opportunities available to them and support the country’s workforce?
With a new Labour government elected in the UK in July and promising a ‘comprehensive strategy’ for post-16 education in the King’s Speech, there has never been a better time to come together as an industry to get the latest policy updates, practical guidance and best practice from across the UK.
Don’t miss this opportunity to equip yourself with the information you need to overcome barriers you face in apprenticeship delivery and forge valuable connections with others who are tackling the same challenges.
Agenda
Registration
Chair’s Opening Remarks
Emily Rock, CEO Association of Apprentices & Director at The St Martin’s Group (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: Outlining Government Strategy for Post-16 Education: Developing a Workforce Fit for the Future
- Identifying areas of particular focus or opportunity within a new strategy for post-16 education
- Examining plans to reform apprenticeship funding: introducing the Growth and Skills Levy
- Striving for an equal and diverse, highly skilled workforce: understanding the ambition and steps to achieving it
- Change under the Skills England Bill: transferring functions from Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education to Skills England
Simon Ashworth, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Policy, Association of Employment and Learning Providers (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: Understanding the New Resources and Rules Around Funding for Apprenticeships
- Bringing together key stakeholders to meet the skills needs of the next decade, across all regions
- Creating sustainable growth through effective partnerships: forging local links and reducing reliance on overseas workers
- Making best use of the Growth and Skills Levy: latest guidance and advice on how to maximise available funding
- Envisaging the apprenticeship landscape of the future
Key Supporter Session
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Understanding Young People’s Barriers to Participation: Apprenticeships and Helping the Disadvantaged
- Young people’s barriers to accessing intermediate and advanced apprenticeships
- The potential for Foundation Apprenticeships to tackle these barriers
- How Foundation Apprenticeships can learn from past programmes
- Changes to consider to support young people’s access to intermediate and advanced apprenticeships.
Suzanne Straw, Research Director, specialises in apprenticeships and post 16 qualifications, National Foundation for Educational Research (CONFIRMED)
Widening Participation: Engaging underserved young people through apprenticeships and sport
- Introduction to Coach Core: An initial introduction to Coach Core
- Apprentice case study: An opening session with one of our apprentices, to help understand the barriers to accessing apprenticeships/employment for underserved and disadvantaged young people
- Working in Partnership: An overview of how we work collaboratively across education providers and employers, to deliver accessible and effective apprenticeships that address the needs of these young people
- Employer showcase: An introduction to an employer partner, to understand how the Coach Core offer has enabled them to recruit and retain apprentices from underserved groups.
Paul Thompson, Director of People and Learning, Coach Core Foundation (CONFIRMED)
Gary Laybourne, Co-Founder/CEO,Coach Core Foundation (CONFIRMED)
Case Study – An Apprentice-Eye View: What Matters to Me
- Why I chose an apprenticeship and what made this apprenticeship stand out
- What worked well? What should employers and HEIs do more of?
- What could have been improved upon?
- What one thing should employers and apprenticeship providers remember when delivering apprenticeships?
Simon Lister, Prevention Trainer, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (CONFIRMED)
Questions and Answers
Lunch Break
Case Study: Widening Opportunities for the Disadvantaged through Apprenticeships in the NHS
- Hear how working directly with deprived local schools helps build a pipeline of apprentices from these backgrounds
- Learn how the societal good goes beyond opportunity, with secondary affects such as lessening health inequality
- Understand how widening opportunities must go well beyond a careers fair, hear actionable strategies for the targeted engagement of students at each stage of their development
Annette Pollitt, Apprenticeship and Widening Participation Lead, Liverpool University Hospital Foundation Trust (CONFIRMED)
Employer Case Study – Best Practice Throughout the Apprenticeship Lifecycle: Overcoming Challenges From Recruitment to Completion
- Accessing and managing funding to benefit from support available and ensure apprenticeships are compliant
- Developing partnerships with apprenticeship training providers
- Making effective use of social media to promote opportunities
- Ensuring high achievement rates for apprentices: practical hints and tips to maximise success
Sarah Moors, Head of Early Careers and Staff Apprenticeships, BBC (CONFIRMED)
Practical Case Study – Widening Participation: Reaching the Hard to Reach to Improve Social Mobility for All
Katy Hampshire, Director of Programmes, The Sutton Trust (CONFIRMED)
Ridhka Kakkar, Civil Service
Questions and Answers
Breakout Networking: Working Together to Increase Learner Participation in Practice
With learner participation decreasing, this breakout networking session provides an important opportunity to discuss your experiences of supporting, engaging and inspiring apprentices with your peers facing the same challenges. Explore your common difficulties and solutions whilst networking with colleagues from a range of organisations.
Comfort Break
Case Study of Excellence: Safeguarding Apprentices’ Mental Health and Well-being
- Exploring the benefits of providing mentoring and one-to-one guidance
- Using social enrichment and networking opportunities as a tool to improve apprentices’ sense of connection and community
- Approaches to identifying learners who are struggling with their mental health
- From empathic responses to effective signposting: putting in place a framework to support apprentices’ mental health
Natalie Wood Keating, CEO, The Better Health Generation UK (CONFIRMED)
Empowering Apprentices: AI as a Tool for Work-Integrated Learning
Degree apprenticeship providers and employers are key in equipping apprentices with the knowledge, skills and tools needed to thrive in both academic and workplace environments. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes an increasingly valuable resource for streamlining study and enhancing comprehension, providers must proactively guide apprentices in leveraging AI to support their work-integrated learning, and employers to support apprentices embracing AI to prepare for a technology-driven future.
- Identifying potential AI support from providers and line managers to enrich the apprentice experience
- Practical measures where AI tools could be encouraged to increase the value of work-integrated learning
- Future stakeholder collaboration of ethical discussion of AI
Becky-Quew Jones, Learning & Teaching Coordinator, University of Portsmouth (CONFIRMED)
Questions and Answers
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Emily Rock, CEO Association of Apprentices & Director at The St Martin’s Group (CONFIRMED)
Conference Close
Previous Speakers
Pete Milsom
Partnerships Manager- Apprenticeships
UCAS
Anthony Painter
Director of Policy and External Affairs
Chartered Management Institute
Sam Callear
Deputy Director, Policy and New Concepts
Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
Patrick Craven
Director of Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement
City & Guilds
Testimonials
The National Apprenticeship Conference is excellent to attend if you need an update on apprenticeship provision. The guest speakers were knowledgeable and offered good insights into apprenticeship provision. There were ideas and information for links to resources that are valuable and useful.
A well organised and highly informative event that gave me a wealth of ideas to take back into daily business practice. Thank you.
Why You Should Attend
- Gain exclusive insights into the future of apprenticeships with essential policy updates shaping national and local strategies.
- Get clear guidance on the latest funding changes to maximize your apprenticeship programs and secure long-term support.
- Expand your network with cross-sector connections and explore collaborations that can elevate partnership success.
- Learn from real-world case studies across all perspectives – from employer best practices to apprentice success stories – to enhance your own approach.
GE Insights
Your conference package also includes access to GE Insights, our cross-sector learning resource of case study focused videos, articles, lived experiences and more. Gain unlimited access to our online platform when you purchase your conference ticket.
Who Should Attend
| Job Title Examples | Organisation Type Examples |
| Apprenticeship Directors | Sixth Form Colleges |
| Heads of Professional Learning & Development | Further Education Colleges |
| Heads of School | Universities |
| Business Partnership Managers | Academies |
| Apprenticeship Leads and Coordinators | Teaching Hospitals |
| Careers Advisors | Local Authorities |
| Head Teachers | Private Sector |
Pricing Options
PRIVATE SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
PUBLIC SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
Sponsorship
Raise your Profile, Showcase Your Solutions, Generate New Business
If your products, services, and solutions can support our audiences in their roles, and you want to make connections and generate new business with key stakeholders, decision makers, and influencers, then please contact us HERE
IMPORTANT: There are only a small number of sponsorship opportunities available to ensure maximum exposure and ROI – contact us today to secure your place.
Virtual vs F2F
Whilst F2F provide better options for networking, there are many distinct advantages of sponsoring our online conferences including:
- Wider geographical reach of delegates and a different audience who prefer online to f2f
- Lower sponsorship package costs
- No travel/accommodation
- Less time out of the office
- No stand materials required (lower costs)
- 1 of only 2 sponsors involved – less competition on the day
- Prime speaking slot in the morning of the conference including Q&A – less distractions and easier for delegates to hear/absorb information
- Receive all delegate data after the conference to follow-up directly with those who attend and don’t attend (small % but still key stakeholders)
- Ongoing exposure via OnDemand access (coming soon)
To find out more and discuss your specific objectives, please contact us below:
