Consultation - The Specification of Apprenticeship Standards
for England (SASE)
Date published: 23 February 2009
Response due: 29 May 2009
Semta response submitted: 28 May 2009
Summary
This consultation seeks views on the Specification of
Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE). The SASE sets out
the requirements with which each recognised Apprenticeship
framework in England must comply.
The SASE will replace the existing non-statutory ‘Blueprint’ for
Apprenticeships and is in response to the commitments set out in
World Class Apprenticeships, published in January 2008.
The consultation document sets out minimum national requirements
for Apprenticeship frameworks, including vocational and
transferable skills, off-workstation learning time and minimum
entry requirements.
Next steps
Semta's response was in line with its commitment to
safeguard standards for apprenticeships in our sector. We are
extremely concerned that the proposed
minimum standards are very low, which will mean funding
bands will have to be wide enough to accommodate engineering at the
top end. We are also concerned that National Occupational
Standards must continue to form the basis for the competence
elements of apprenticeships, in order to ensure portability for the
individual and national standards across the sector.
Documents and Links
Semta's final response
DIUS page on the
consultation, including a link to the online response form
Semta represents the view of our employers across government and
the media. If you are an employer in the science,
engineering, or manufacturing technology sectors, we welcome your
views at policy@semta.org.uk
1 June 2009