Opinion | Apprenticeship reforms - is this a sign UK universities are dying?

Rishi Sunak recently announced plans to create 20,000 apprenticeships with reforms to how businesses can get funding and training for young people to join their firm.

The reforms include the Government paying the full cost of apprentices aged 21 or under from April 1 and raising the funding companies paying the apprenticeship levy can give over to other businesses from 25% to 50%.

The PM said the new changes, which will create a “tidal wave of opportunity” for young people in the country, will be enabled by £60m of investment for next year.

The apprenticeship levy, which was introduced in 2017, is paid by large businesses. However, many companies have called for reforms, criticising the amount of red tape and bureaucracy associated with getting funding, leading to over £2billion worth of funding going unspent.