APPRENTICESHIPS TO CARRY UCAS POINTS FROM THE NEXT ACADMIC YEAR
Plans have been announced for a public consultation over the decision to attribute UCAS points to apprenticeships.
At the tenth annual apprenticeship conference (26-27 February2024) , the UCAS apprenticeship lead Lindsay Conroy, announced plans for a public consultation by May 2024, over the decision to attribute UCAS points to apprenticeships.
These plans were announced last year at the AAC but there has been a delay in implementing this change.
According to Lindsay Conroy, this delay is due to the “challenging” education environment across the UK, particularly because education is devolved across the four nations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
UCAS is currently going through engagement and consultation with regulators and stakeholders with a public consultation to follow in April or May 2024 and students hopefully able to enrol by September 2024.
Some see this as a step in the right direction in terms of achieving parity of esteem between apprenticeships and other post-16 qualifications.
Although, Lindsay Conroy stated that it is not “the whole answer” but that it does “signal to people that this pathway has routes and avenues.”
In October 2023, UCAS launched their apprenticeship service which shows vacancies and there are plans for students to apply for apprenticeships through its website from 2024/25.
