RIBA urges exemption for Level 7 apprenticeships from funding reforms

The RIBA has issued a joint call with the RTPI, the CIOB, and RICS, calling for built environment Level 7 apprenticeships to be exempt from proposed changes to the Growth and Skills Levy.

The four institutes, collectively representing approximately 200,000 professionals across the built environment sector, argue that the funding reforms could hinder efforts to address skills shortages and undermine the Government’s growth and net-zero commitments.

The government announced earlier this year that Level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to a Master’s degree, will recieve reduced funded through the Growth and Skills Levy. The change aims to shift funding priorities towards apprenticeships for young people and those at the start of their careers, as part of efforts to rebalance apprenticeship spending.

Level 7 apprenticeships include RIBA Part 2 architectural programmes, such as the University of Cambridge’s Master of Studies in Architecture course. As part of the changes, employers are being encouraged to redirect funding towards apprenticeships for younger workers. This includes requiring businesses to cover more of the costs for Level 7 apprenticeships themselves.

Universities have raised concerns that removing government funding could lead to their withdrawal from delivering Level 7 degree apprenticeships, exacerbating the skills gap across key sectors within the built environment industry.

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The institutes expressed concern that reduced access to levy funding would also limit employers’ ability to train or recruit Level 7 apprentices, potentially diminishing the sector’s ability to meet the Government’s stated growth objectives.

In their statement, the organisations urged minister for skills, Baroness Smith of Malvern, that restricting employer access to levy funding for Level 7 apprenticeships could reduce the sector’s capacity to meet increasing demand.

The joint statement said: “Built environment Level 7 apprentices play a key role in delivering the government’s ‘mission-led’ milestones of building 1.5 million homes over the course of this Parliament and the acceleration to achieving net zero. The government’s recently published Plan for Change states that to deliver ambitions, it will ‘require a rate of housebuilding and infrastructure construction not seen in over 50 years’ indicating an increased demand on capacity in an already under-resourced sector.

“As noted recently by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Plan for Change will require a cross-government approach. We strongly urge the government to deliver on that ambition by helping the built environment sector to address the skills shortage.”

The statement also emphasised the role of Level 7 apprenticeships in providing an additional route into built environment professions for individuals from underrepresented groups.