Apprentices: Training
Business, Innovation and Skills

Eric Ollerenshaw (Lancaster and Fleetwood, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether it is a requirement that apprenticeship trainers hold relevant teaching and professional qualifications and have passed Criminal Records Bureau checks before they are allowed to train apprentices; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes (Minister of State (Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning), Business, Innovation and Skills; South Holland and The Deepings, Conservative)

The Further Education Teachers Qualifications Regulations 2007 require those who teach in further education (FE) colleges to hold appropriate teaching qualifications. This applies to all teaching employees of colleges, not just those who may be training apprentices. The regulations do not apply to non-college trainers in FE.

The Skills Funding Agency contractually requires its providers to ensure that competent and appropriately qualified staff deliver and assess learning. The provider is responsible for the professional development and training of its staff for meeting any minimum requirements which may be required by Ofsted or other regulatory authority.

There is no statutory requirement upon those training apprentices aged 16 to 17 to obtain a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure.