Skills Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith has defended the government's decision to axe English and maths functional skills exit requirements for adult apprentices. Baroness Smith said apprentices are "dropping out because of the exam requirements" and that it's not "good for them or the employers".
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NewsTranscript
00:00We've got a plan to change the country in order to grow the economy, get more money into people's pockets,
00:06rebuild the NHS and cut waiting lists, shift to green power, build new homes for people,
00:12and make sure that people have the opportunity throughout their lives to get on.
00:16And this week we're celebrating National Apprenticeship Week and I've met some brilliant apprentices
00:21and the employers and training providers who support them.
00:24But what employers have also said to us is that, look, if somebody is an adult
00:28and they're studying, they're doing an apprenticeship, completing the occupational standards,
00:33the job-related skills that they need to get, of course it's important that they have English and maths
00:40relevant to that particular job.
00:43It isn't necessarily important that they then take a separate exam in English and maths in order to qualify.
00:49And what's actually happening is that lots of people who could be getting apprenticeships
00:54are actually dropping out because of the exam requirements.
00:57And that's not good for them and it's not good for the economy or the employers either.