The End of Mandatory Functional Skills in Apprenticeships: A Positive Step for the Education Sector

The UK government’s decision to remove the requirement for apprentices over 19 to attain Level 2 Functional Skills in English and maths marks a significant shift in the education sector. While this change raises concerns for Functional Skills tutors, it also presents new opportunities and benefits for training providers, employers, and learners.

By removing these mandatory qualifications, apprenticeship programs can become more accessible and inclusive. Many talented learners who struggled with English and maths in a traditional academic setting will now have the opportunity to complete their training and succeed in their chosen fields. Training providers can refocus their efforts on delivering high-quality vocational education tailored to job-specific skills rather than generic academic requirements.

For training providers, this change reduces administrative burdens and allows greater flexibility in curriculum design. It enables them to develop programs that better meet industry needs while attracting a broader pool of apprentices. Without mandatory English and maths requirements, dropout rates may decrease, improving overall completion rates and success stories for providers.

Employers will also benefit from this shift. They will have faster access to skilled workers who are fully trained in their trade rather than delayed by unrelated academic qualifications. This change ensures that industries facing labor shortages, such as construction and healthcare, can onboard workers more efficiently without unnecessary barriers.

Functional Skills tutors may face uncertainty about their roles, but there are still positive career prospects. Their expertise remains valuable in providing targeted support, designing contextualised learning materials, and offering workplace-based upskilling programs. As training models evolve, their skills will be crucial in ensuring that literacy and numeracy development continues within vocational education.

Overall, this policy represents a shift towards a more dynamic and accessible apprenticeship system, benefiting learners, training providers, employers, and the wider education sector.