Provider access legislation comes into force in January. Carl Ward and Oli de Botton explain why these new requirements are an opportunity to work in the best interests of all young people

The new provider access legislation (PAL) presents a significant opportunity to boost careers education and help young people find their next steps (DfE, 2022).

The changes, which come into force this January, seek to ensure organisations delivering apprenticeships and technical routes can speak directly to all secondary aged children about their offers.

Some may of course see this as burdensome – one more thing on top of many others. But there is something important at stake here. Our collective ambition to achieve parity of esteem between academic and technical pathways is one of the ways we can build a system that includes all young people.

 

Provider access legislation

 

The Baker Clause was enacted in January 2017 and stipulates that schools must invite in a wide range of education and training providers to allow them to talk to students about apprenticeships and other technical education routes. The updated PAL (DfE, 2022) now specifies that schools must provide at least six encounters for all their students:

  • Two encounters for pupils during year 8 or 9 that are mandatory for all pupils to attend.
  • Two encounters for pupils during year 10 or 11 that are mandatory for all pupils to attend.
  • Two encounters for pupils during year 12 or 13 that are mandatory for the school to put on but optional for pupils to attend.

 

A changing conversation

The conversation around apprenticeships and technical and vocational education has changed in recent years. There is increasing interest from young people and the data suggests greater awareness leads to higher take up. Teachers are also expressing a desire to know more so they can support their students.

Teacher Tapp research, commissioned by PLMR earlier this year (2022), shows us that around 70% of teachers agree that apprenticeships provide excellent future opportunities for students, and 86% want to see more students taking up apprenticeships. However, only 26% of teachers currently feel confident advising students about how to find an apprenticeship.

PAL is an opportunity to build on this, spreading the good work already being done. We can learn from schools like Penwortham Girls’ High School in Lancashire where the careers leader has increased positive destinations for learners, including a three-fold increase in apprenticeship uptake, through awareness raising, interactions with providers and staff CPD (for more from Penwortham, see further information).

More broadly this change is an opportunity to build productive cross-sector relationships between schools, colleges, apprenticeship providers and businesses, at both the national and local level. These can be partnerships based on the interests of all young people in local areas – independent of institutional boundaries.

 

 

Rebalancing towards technical and vocational education

Despite everyone’s best efforts, academic pathways can sometimes be seen as the default. But by making sure providers are given the opportunity to talk to students about options like apprenticeships, T levels and Higher Technical Qualifications, we can rebalance the scales – arming young people with current information about the experiences they can expect.

This is especially important because for so many young people, high-quality work-based pathways are the best routes. It is about the young person who wants to contribute to the fight against climate change but was unaware of the many roles opened up by the green transition. The young person who has struggled in mainstream education who might thrive in the workplace. The student for whom the idea of a degree apprenticeship opens up new possibilities for the future.

 

 

Support is available

There is already great work being done by many schools and providers. But many more will need advice and support.

Support will be available through the network of Careers Hubs managed by the Careers and Enterprise Company. We want to help build and facilitate lasting connections between schools, colleges, providers and business. Help will also be available through resources and an updated digital tool (Compass +) which is already being used by careers leaders to evaluate careers programmes. The tool will now help colleagues record and evidence progress against the new requirements.

 

 

Making the most of the opportunity

Beyond the specific implementation of the guidance, PAL creates the conditions for wider change when it comes to technical and vocational education in this country. If we get this right, these encounters are a chance to inspire and engage learners about options they had never considered, giving them the confidence to go further and achieve more.

  • Oli de Botton is chief executive of the Careers and Enterprise Company, and Carl Ward is chief executive of the City Learning Trust. The CEC was set up by government in 2015 and is the national body for careers education in England.

 

Further information & resources