Apprenticeship Reform: City & Guilds at the forefront of change

As England embarks on a major overhaul of its apprenticeship system, City & Guilds is helping to lead the charge - shaping reform, advising on policy, and ensuring that the voices of training providers, colleges, and employers are heard.

10 October 2025

With significant changes announced earlier this year by the Department for Education, including shorter durations, simplified assessment plans, and the introduction of foundation apprenticeships, as well as the policy shift to the Department for Work and Pensions, the sector is entering a new era. City & Guilds is not only responding to these reforms but actively helping to define them.

In a recent webinar, City & Guilds shared its latest thinking on reform principles, assessment design, and the evolving role of awarding organisations. Anita Crosland, City & Guilds Strategic Portfolio Planning lead emphasised the organisation’s commitment to maintaining quality, consistency, and flexibility, which are core principles that underpin its future apprenticeship offer. Through extensive consultation with stakeholders, City & Guilds is developing assessment models that reflect sector needs while reducing administrative burden and improving learner outcomes.

Apprenticeships in the wider skills landscape

Apprenticeships are a vital part of the UK’s broader skills strategy. They sit at the intersection of education, employment, and economic growth, providing pathways into work, addressing skills shortages, and supporting regional development. Reform cannot happen in isolation. It must be aligned with wider policy goals, funding structures, and the realities of sector delivery.

That’s why City & Guilds is deeply engaged in policy dialogue. As the largest apprenticeship awarding organisation in the UK, it acts as a convenor and influencer, bringing together government departments, regulators, providers, and employers to help shape a coherent and effective skills system. Its efforts ensure that training providers and colleges have a voice in decisions that affect their delivery models, funding, and learner outcomes.

Shaping Policy at the Labour Party Conference

City & Guilds’ convening power was on full display at the Labour Party Conference, where it hosted a series of high-profile discussions in the Skills Hub. A key highlight was a session with Skills Minister Jacqui Smith, exploring insights from City & Guilds’ Foundations for the Future report. Conversations focused on how policy, funding, and training systems must evolve to meet sector demands and whether metro mayors could play a role in breaking down barriers to opportunity.
Kirstie Donnelly, City & Guilds CEO, was addressing on a panel the question of Turbocharging Skills for Growth – Can Metro Mayors Break Down Barriers, examining how regional leadership can drive productivity through skills investment. And, City & Guilds held their own session on The Industrial Strategy and Skills: The Key to Unlock the Government’s Goals, brought together sector leaders and MPs to explore how skills development underpins national ambitions in infrastructure, innovation, and economic resilience.

These discussions reinforced City & Guilds’ role as a trusted voice in the political conversation on skills - one that champions the needs of providers and learners while shaping the future of vocational education.

Foundation apprenticeships: A new opportunity

Louise Weale, Product Manager for construction at City & Guilds gave an overview at the recent apprenticeship reform webinar of one of the most significant developments in the reform agenda - the introduction of foundation apprenticeships. City & Guilds is pioneering this new model with its upcoming programme in on-site construction - an eight-month, multi-trade apprenticeship designed for young people aged 16-21. With a focus on employability, workplace readiness, and progression, foundation apprenticeships offer a new route into skilled employment and further study.

This initiative aligns with government priorities to reduce NEET numbers and address sector-specific skills gaps, particularly in construction, where demand is growing in response to housing and infrastructure targets.

Looking ahead

City & Guilds will continue to lead the conversation on apprenticeship reform and skills policy. Through webinars, sector focus groups, and customer research, it will gather insights, test assumptions, and refine its approach. As new consultations and regulatory updates emerge, City & Guilds will remain a steadfast advocate for quality, consistency, and sector responsiveness.

In a time of transformation, City & Guilds is not just adapting - it’s shaping the future of skills in the UK.