Degree apprenticeship expectations of Labour's Growth & Skills Levy

Following on from the success of our pre-election UVAC member survey, we would now like to take this opportunity to gauge views on the Labour government's future plans for higher and degree apprenticeships.

The following short survey provides you with the unique opportunity to share your opinions on the key apprenticeship talking points surrounding Labour's Growth & Skills Levy and recently announced plans to restrict level 7 training funding.

The headline survey findings will then be promoted to the media by UVAC. They will also be used within future whitepapers and shared with the government as part of our ongoing lobbying campaign.

It’s important to highlight that all completed surveys will be treated anonymously and no findings will be attributed to UVAC members and other survey respondents individually. We look forward to hearing your views.

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* 1. What overall benefits do you feel Labour's reformed growth and skills levy will bring to universities providing higher and degree apprenticeships? Please select any of the following statements you agree with:

It will help universities meet the cost challenges of delivering higher and degree apprenticeships

It will better support the future growth of higher and degree apprenticeships

It will enable universities to diversify their higher and degree apprenticeship provision and support employers in a broader range of sectors

It will increase employer demand for higher and degree apprenticeships

It will increase the number of older apprentices (aged 25+) completing higher and degree apprenticeships

Other (please specify)

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* 2. What negative impact do you feel Labour's reformed growth and skills levy will have on universities and other higher education providers? Please select any of the following statements you agree with:

It will increase the cost challenges of delivering higher and degree apprenticeships

It will reduce the future growth of higher and degree apprenticeships

It will prevent universities from diversifying their higher and degree apprenticeship provision and reduce support to employers in a broader range of sectors

It will reduce employer demand for higher and degree apprenticeships

It will reduce the number of older apprentices (aged 25+) completing higher and degree apprenticeships

Other (please specify)

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* 3. What positive benefits do you feel Labour's reformed growth and skills levy will bring to employers specifically offering higher and degree apprenticeships? Please select any of the following statements you agree with:

It will ensure more employers share the full levy cost, rather than just those with a pay bill of £3m

It will reduce the amount of unspent levy funding that is returned to the Treasury each year

It will ensure larger employers (with a pay bill of £3m) are required to pay less in levy contributions

It will increase the number of new apprentices (i.e. school/college leavers under the age of 25)

It will increase the number of older apprentices (aged 25+)

It will promote social inclusion and increase the number of new apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds

It will ensure that SMEs (with a pay bill less than £3m) still only have to pay 5% of the training costs

It will increase the amount of overall levy funding available to employers

It will provide shorter apprenticeships and help those employers that can't commit to a longer, 12 month (minimum) apprenticeship

It will reduce the bureaucracy and administration associated will the old levy system

It will offer a more simplified levy system that is easier for employers to understand

It will enable more businesses to plug a skills gap in their team

It will ensure higher and degree apprenticeship provision caters for more sectors

It will better ensure all levy-paying businesses can access and spend all their available levy funds

Other (please specify)

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* 4. What negative impact do you feel Labour's reformed growth and skills levy will have on employers specifically offering higher and degree apprenticeships? Please select any of the following statements you agree with:

It will still make levy funding contributions the responsibility of only those companies with a pay bill of £3m

It will increase the amount of unspent levy funding that is returned to the Treasury each year

It will ensure larger employers (with a pay bill of £3m) are required to pay more in levy contributions

It will reduce the number of new apprentices (i.e. school/college leavers under the age of 25)

It will reduce the number of older apprentices (aged 25+)

It will not promote social inclusion and reduce the number of new apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds

It will force SMEs (with a pay bill less than £3m) to pay more than 5% of the training costs

It will reduce the amount of overall levy funding available to employers

It will increase the bureaucracy and administration associated will the old levy system under the Conservatives

It will offer a more complicated levy system that is more difficult for employers to understand

It will enable less businesses to plug a skills gap in their team

It will ensure higher and degree apprenticeship provision caters for less sectors

It won't help levy-paying businesses access and spend all their available levy funds

Other (please specify)

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* 5. What impact will the government's plans to restrict employer levy funding of level 7 training have on apprentices and employers? Please select any of the following statements you agree with:

It will reduce the number of new level 7 apprentices

It will have no impact on the number of new level 7 apprentices

It will reduce the number of employers engaging with level 7 apprenticeships

It will have no impact on the number of employers engaging with level 7 apprenticeships

It will provide less opportunity for employers to upskill workforces via level 7 apprenticeships

It will reduce the number of people achieving senior-level roles within businesses via level 7 apprenticeships

It will reduce the number of people performing specialist roles within businesses via level 7 apprenticeships

It will reduce the number of people from disadvantaged backgrounds achieving their full earning potential via level 7 apprenticeships

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Do you feel that Labour's drive to attract younger apprentices and plans to establish 'foundation' apprenticeships will be at the expense of higher and degree apprenticeships?

Yes

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* 7. Do you feel that employers should do more to attract younger apprentices (i.e. aged under 25)?

Yes

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* 8. Which job level will receive the most apprenticeship support (e.g. funding) from the government?

Entry-level

Mid-level

Senior-level

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* 9. Are you confident Labour is committed to supporting and funding the long term growth of higher and degree apprenticeships? Please select any of the following statements you agree with:

Labour is committed to supporting and funding the long term growth of higher and degree apprenticeships

Labour regards higher and degree apprenticeships as key to boosting productivity and addressing the UK skills gap

Labour regards higher and degree apprenticeships as key to increasing social mobility

Labour believes universities are of equal importance to the provision of apprenticeships as colleges, training providers and employers

Labour is committed to helping universities meet the cost challenges of delivering higher and degree apprenticeships

Labour will enable more universities to increase and diversify their higher and degree apprenticeship offering

Labour will ensure that apprenticeships remain an all age, all level programme

Labour will ensure that the apprenticeship provision for 16-18 year olds is paid for by general taxation in the same way as A levels, T levels and Applied Generals

Other (please specify)

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* 10. Do you believe the annual apprenticeship budget dedicated to the funding of degree apprenticeships (currently around 20%) is set to increase or decrease under the current Labour government?

Yes - it will increase

No - it will stay the same

No - it will decrease