The 157 Group has responded to today's announcement on the future of apprenticeship funding.
Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, executive director of the 157 Group, said, “We are pleased with the government’s sensible decision not to implement something around which there is so little consensus,without further research and significant piloting.
"These reforms have been the subject of consultation for over three years. Quite apart from the uncertainty that this has naturally engendered, it has also raised questions about the overall wisdom of the approach.
"The government says it is pleased to have had such a positive response from employers to this consultation. We have long advocated increased employer engagement with the skills system and colleges are working hard to support this.
"Given that 75per cent of responses to the consultation includeconcerns about whether the reforms will adversely affect that engagement, we will await with great interest to learn about the lessons to be drawn from the ongoing trailblazer pilots."