Welcome to the first edition of SIAS’ Quarterly Update and to the new academic year. We’re introducing this regular publication to share insights into the issues shaping our sector and to give me the opportunity to reflect on some of the big themes influencing skills policy and practice.
It feels particularly timely that our first edition coincides with the first anniversary of SIAS becoming an Awarding Organisation. This milestone has allowed us to broaden our role in the skills ecosystem, build on our apprenticeship assessment foundations, and position ourselves to support learners, employers, and providers in new ways.
Unprecedented Times
Even in a sector that is no stranger to reform, the scale and pace of current change is striking. Rarely have we seen such a wide-ranging policy agenda moving at such speed. Apprenticeship assessment reforms, levy changes, the introduction of foundation apprenticeships, and the conclusion of the curriculum and assessment review are all happening in parallel.
That brings both challenge and opportunity. For employers and providers, it means adjusting delivery models, navigating uncertainty, and planning for new frameworks. For learners, it risks complexity and disruption unless the transition is carefully managed. For awarding organisations like SIAS, it requires agility, investment, and strong collaboration with partners. But if managed well, this period could reshape the skills landscape in positive, lasting ways.
I want to focus on the four key areas of change and my thoughts around them…
Apprenticeship Assessment Reforms
The apprenticeship reforms are arguably the most significant shift. We welcome the move towards a principles-based approach to assessment. By reducing prescription, the system creates space for awarding organisations to design more flexible, innovative, and industry-responsive assessment strategies. Employers will still play a central role in shaping assessment plans, ensuring they remain relevant to sector needs.
There are also important safeguards. The continued emphasis on independent assessment ensures rigour, consistency, and credibility – something employers and learners have consistently valued since the move from frameworks to standards. And, aligning reforms with industrial growth strategy priorities reinforces the importance of apprenticeships in areas like clean energy, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.
Yet, challenges remain. The proposed timeline for transitioning hundreds of occupational standards feels ambitious. Without clear phasing and adequate lead-in time, we risk destabilising providers, employers, and learners. Questions also remain about how to manage learners already in programme – clarity on transition rules will be vital to avoid inequities.
At SIAS, we’re already working closely with partners to prepare, offering reassurance that we will communicate consistently, provide the support needed, and put learner and employer outcomes at the heart of every decision.
Apprenticeship Levy Reform
From April, the new Growth and Skills Levy will give employers flexibility to allocate part of their funds to non-apprenticeship skills solutions. This is a positive step if it unlocks investment in modern, modular, accredited provision that meets evolving workforce needs.
However, the detail will matter. If flexibility extends too far, there’s a risk the market becomes flooded with unregulated, inconsistent provision. That would create confusion, dilute quality, and undermine the levy’s credibility. The real opportunity lies in creating a framework where levy-funded alternatives are high quality, portable, and aligned to national skills priorities.
For SIAS, this development plays directly to our strengths. As an awarding organisation, we already design qualifications and accredited provision that meet employer demand. We are well placed to support businesses seeking high-quality, flexible training solutions that maximise the value of their levy investment.
Foundation Apprenticeships
The introduction of Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeships is another significant reform, aimed at providing an accessible entry point for young people, particularly those for whom traditional routes have not worked. With over a million young people currently not in education, employment or training, this initiative is both timely and necessary.
While reactions in the market have been mixed, I believe strongly in their potential as a tool for social mobility. They offer learners the chance to “get on the ladder” and progress to full apprenticeships, higher-level qualifications, and ultimately, meaningful careers.
SIAS was proud to be the first awarding organisation approved to assess the engineering and manufacturing foundation apprenticeship. This aligns with our STEM specialism and demonstrates our commitment to pathways that provide opportunity for all. Looking ahead, as more foundation apprenticeships emerge in other industrial strategy areas, we intend to be at the forefront of their delivery.
Curriculum and Assessment Review
The long-awaited review of Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications is set to conclude this autumn. For awarding organisations, this is particularly important, as the moratorium on funding for new qualifications has constrained innovation. Greater clarity on the funding landscape is urgently needed to allow high-quality qualifications to be developed and delivered at scale.
While some streamlining is sensible, too many qualifications can confuse learners and employers, there is a risk of narrowing choice too far. A diverse, competitive awarding landscape fosters innovation, quality, and best practice. If reforms overly centralise or reduce options, the sector could lose some of its dynamism.
At SIAS, we are ready to adapt and contribute to a refined qualifications system but one that balances efficiency with sufficient breadth to meet varied learner and employer needs.
Looking Ahead
The next 18–24 months will be a time of change and uncertainty, but also of immense possibility. At SIAS, we have invested in capacity, capability, and innovation. That positions us strongly to support our partners through the transition while also seizing the opportunities emerging from reform.
In two years’ time, I see SIAS firmly established as the UK’s leading STEM-specialist awarding organisation. We will have transitioned smoothly into the new apprenticeship model, grown our qualifications portfolio, and strengthened our role in industrial growth strategy areas such as life sciences, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, and nuclear and defence.
This moment of change is demanding, but it is also a moment to be bold. Together with our partners, we have the opportunity not just to adapt, but to shape a skills system that better serves learners, employers, and society for the future.
