2026: a new landscape for training providers

As National Apprenticeship Week 2026 highlights the role of apprenticeships in building skills for life, it is also a timely moment to recognise the independent training providers who keep England’s apprenticeship system moving. They deliver the majority of programmes, often across varied sectors and at considerable pace, supporting learners at different stages of their careers while managing rising expectations and constant reform.

With another round of changes taking effect through 2025 and into this year, the apprenticeship landscape has shifted again. Alongside new challenges, these reforms create opportunities for training providers to deliver more flexible, responsive programmes that help apprentices develop not just occupational competence, but the enduring skills they need to progress, adapt and thrive over time.

A new approach to apprenticeship assessment

From October 2025, apprenticeship assessment plans began transitioning to a redesigned model where assessment is threaded throughout the programme rather than concentrated at the end. The aim is to make assessment feel more natural, more flexible and better aligned with how competence develops in real workplaces.

Training providers have long said that the old end‑point assessment model could feel rigid or disconnected from day‑to‑day learning. The new approach asks training providers to build assessment into the rhythm of delivery – capturing evidence as apprentices progress and treating assessment as part of learning rather than a final, isolated hurdle.

For apprentices, this supports the development of skills for life such as reflection, continuous improvement and applying learning in real‑world contexts. For training providers, it reinforces the importance of clear planning, consistent evidence capture and high‑quality feedback throughout the programme.

Funding rules and more flexible delivery

The 2025–26 Apprenticeship Funding Rules apply to new starts from 1 August 2025. One of the key changes is that apprenticeships can now be delivered in as little as eight months where an apprentice’s prior learning genuinely supports a shorter duration, as long as all the training and assessment requirements for the standard remain fully met.

This gives training providers more room to tailor programmes to individual learners, particularly those bringing prior experience or returning to training later in life to upskill or change direction. However, it also raises the bar on strong initial assessment, robust recognition of prior learning and clear documentation.

Another significant shift is the move away from the familiar 20% off‑the‑job calculation. Each apprenticeship standard now has its own published minimum off‑the‑job hours. While this brings helpful clarity, it also means training providers must be more precise in evidencing learning activity, applying reductions correctly and keeping employers closely informed as programme length and structure change.

Functional Skills: new flexibility, new responsibilities

Since 11 February 2025, apprentices aged 19 and over have no longer been required to complete Functional Skills in English and maths to achieve their apprenticeship, provided they and their employer choose to opt out. The policy applies to both new starters and those already on programme.

While removing this requirement may support higher completion rates for adult apprentices, literacy, numeracy and digital capability remain essential skills for life in the workplace. These skills underpin confidence, progression and adaptability, particularly for apprentices who are using training to reskill mid‑career or move into new roles.

For training providers, this change increases the importance of high‑quality diagnostics, clear learning plans and ongoing evidence of progress. Employers still need assurance that their apprentices have the core capabilities required to perform effectively, communicate confidently and continue developing beyond the programme itself.

Updated accountability expectations

In January 2026, updates to the Apprenticeship Accountability Framework came into effect to align with Ofsted’s updated reporting arrangements. Several supplementary indicators – such as breaks in learning and EPAO data – have been paused, but expectations around quality, progression and timely delivery remain firmly in place.

Thresholds now match Ofsted’s updated structure, and training providers are expected to monitor performance data closely, identify risks early and take action before issues grow. In a competitive market where employers have choice, consistent evidence, strong outcomes and clear learner progression continue to matter enormously.

Demonstrating how apprentices are developing transferable, long‑term skills is increasingly part of that quality narrative.

Why technology matters more than ever

Training providers work across dispersed teams, varied employer needs and demanding audit requirements, all while operating within tight margins. Well‑designed digital systems can ease that pressure by supporting robust onboarding and diagnostics, enabling flexible learning and assessment, keeping employers informed and maintaining clean, compliant evidence.

The aim is not to add administration, but to reduce duplication, cut errors and give staff and employers clearer, real‑time insight. This is particularly important for training providers operating in a system focused on skills for life, where apprentices may balance learning with work, return to training later in their careers, or use apprenticeships as a route to ongoing upskilling as roles evolve.

Apprenticeship management with OneAdvanced Education

OneAdvanced Education includes an integrated Apprenticeship Management system built specifically for apprenticeship delivery. As a cloud‑based ecosystem, it brings together Assessment and Learning, ePortfolio and LMS tools in one place.

This helps training providers manage diagnostics, learning content, evidence and compliance smoothly and consistently, while giving employers up‑to‑date visibility of progress and documentation. The result is clearer communication, stronger oversight and the flexibility needed to support apprentices with different starting points and long‑term development goals.

A changing landscape – and a chance to lead

Training providers sit at the heart of apprenticeship success. The reforms introduced through 2025 and into 2026 have reshaped assessment, funding and accountability, but they also create space for smarter, more responsive delivery.

Providers who invest in strong diagnostics, clear documentation and technology designed for apprenticeships will be well placed to lead in this new landscape, helping apprentices of all ages build skills for life that support sustained employability, progression and resilience long after their apprenticeship ends.

As National Apprenticeship Week 2026 shines a spotlight on the impact of apprenticeships nationwide, it is an opportunity to recognise the role training providers play in turning policy into meaningful, lifelong skills.