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Committee hears from experts on apprenticeships and lifelong learning

27 February 2018

The Economic Affairs Committee takes evidence from academics and experts on apprenticeships and lifelong learning. The witnesses will be asked about the boundaries between further and higher education and funding for adult education.

Witnesses

Tuesday 27 February in Committee Room 1, Palace of Westminster

At 3.35pm

  • Professor Alison Fuller, Pro-Director (Research and Development), Institute of Education, University College London
  • Dr Hilary Steedman, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics
  • Mr Antony Jenkins, Chair, Institute for Apprenticeships

At 4.35 pm

  • Professor Sir Alan Tuckett, Professor of Education, University of Wolverhampton
  • Professor Ewart Keep, Professor, Director, Oxford University, Centre on Skills Knowledge and Organisational Performance
  • Mr Stephen Evans, Chief Executive, Learning and Work Institute

Likely questions

Questions the Committee are likely to ask the first panel are:

  • Why have the number of people starting apprenticeships fallen since the apprenticeship levy was introduced?
  • Are apprentices paid enough? Should maintenance loans or grants be available to them?
  • One of the aims of the tertiary education review is to break down "false boundaries between further and higher education". How can this be achieved?
  • Should employers be allowed to 'rebadge' existing employees as apprentices?

Questions the Committee are likely to ask the second panel are:

  • Why has adult learning declined so steeply?
  • Should funding for adult education be reformed? Should there be a lifetime tertiary education loan entitlement which individuals can draw down at any point?
  • Should the Government set targets for how many people get certain qualifications or onto certain types of training?
  • At the launch of the tertiary education review the Prime Minister said that "we need to support flexible life-long learning." What would your recommendations be to achieve this?

Further information

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