Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-education-children-and-young-people-committee/correspondence/2025/tet-bill-response-to-stage-1-report-19-september-2025:
the SFC will be a redesigned funding body, and SDS staff will bring expertise to support the new organisation in relation to responsibilities on apprenticeships
the Scottish Government will communicate skills priorities clearly to all partners, including those providing careers advice
changes to the planning and development process of Graduate Apprenticeships will be taken forward with universities and employers
Bill implementation will take the SFC's "employer engagement to a new level", and appointments to the SFC Board "provide an opportunity to strengthen the SFC's employer experience"
in response to the Committee's call for a review of apprenticeship delivery within 36 months of commencement, the Scottish Government would explore "some form of commitment to review"
measures to protect or ring-fence apprenticeship funding would not be introduced, however the Bill extends the existing duty to add provision of appropriate support for apprenticeships and work-based learning as well as further and higher education
expectations on the funding and delivery of apprenticeships would be set out to the SFC in the Scottish Government's Letter of Guidance, as further and higher education funding expectations are currently
a regular forum with trade unions had been established to discuss implementation of the Bill, however the public bodies must lead engagement with their staff
the Scottish Government wrote to the SFC and SDS in June 2025 to outline expectations for them to develop a plan for staffing arrangements and transfers, with a clear commitment to Fair Work First
SDS's latest estimate of the number of staff that would transfer to the SFC is "142.5 FTE and 166.3 FTE based on July 2025 data"
there would be no change to funding for work-based learning (currently foundation apprenticeships) on 1 April 2027, and the changes brought forward in the Bill "do not place any less importance on foundation apprenticeships"
work to develop Graduate Apprenticeships was progressing with initial recommendations expected by October 2025; regular updates would be provided to the Committee on this work
current arrangements for issuing apprenticeship certificates will continue immediately after April 2027
the changes proposed by the Bill would improve transparency around apprenticeship funding by bringing it all into one place
the Scottish Government would look at bringing forward amendments at Stage 2 to enable data sharing on free school meals in relation to widening access to university
consultation on what would constitute a "notifiable event" that an institution would require to make the SFC aware of as a result of provisions in the Bill would be held prior to these being set out in regulations; further information might be provided at Stage 2
the Scottish Government's view was that mandatory training for Principals and senior management could be progressed administratively and did not need to be included in the Bill
in relation to the SFC Council, further consideration would be given to how the voice of staff could be "effective and heard" and how Fair Work approaches could be embedded; an increase in the size of the SFC Council would also be given consideration if the case was made for this
the SFC was developing the remit for the apprenticeship committee and this would be "likely to incorporate the relevant responsibilities of the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board’s Standards and Frameworks Group and the Apprenticeship Approvals Group"; further information would be outlined ahead of Stage 2
the definition of 'private providers' would relate only to Part 3 of the Bill in relation to student support and not to employers or training providers under provisions in Part 1 of the Bill
the mechanism set out in Part 3 of the Bill for private providers to become designated providers and approved for the purposes of student support related to private providers offering HE-level courses only
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