Written question WQ88354

In 2018, Qualifications Wales published ‘Building the Future’, a review of qualifications in the construction and the built environment sector in Wales. Subsequently, Qualifications Wales announced in 2019 that post-16 qualifications would be redeveloped to include an overarching Foundation qualification in Construction and the Built Environment and apprenticeship qualifications in Building Services Engineering and Construction.

The review by Qualification Wales found that employers believed apprenticeships did not meet their needs effectively enough – particularly at level 2, working with the sector, they developed new arrangements where the majority of learners complete a Foundation qualification in college in the first year and then progress to an apprenticeship at level 3. Under these arrangements, only a minority of learners are expected to directly start an apprenticeship at level 3 after leaving school.

The Foundation qualifications were made available for Further Education teaching from September 2021, whilst the introduction of apprenticeship qualifications was delayed until to September 2022 recognising the impact of Covid-19 on the sector. The development of the new qualifications has been industry-led and sector representatives have contributed to the development of the new qualifications and continue to support the development process.

Consequently, level 2 qualifications are predominantly funded via Further Education Institutes. For those learners who start an apprenticeship directly after leaving school, they start a level 3 apprenticeship and are fully funded by the Welsh Government.