From January 2026, public funding for level 7 (master’s level) apprenticeships will disappear for most adults, yet over 60% of current learners fall outside the new age caps. For healthcare, this risks stalling leadership progress, widening skills gaps and slowing much-needed digital transformation, warns Steven Hurst, Director of Corporate Learning at Arden University.
For many businesses, apprenticeships play a vital role in building a skilled and loyal workforce. At their core, apprenticeships address two persistent business challenges: skills shortages and high employee turnover.
But for the healthcare industry, they also help with other key challenges, such as adapting to digital transformation and diversifying senior leadership teams. In fact, 73% of Trust leaders cite funding and financial constraints as a barrier to digital transformation, so it's understandable if the changes to apprenticeship funding seems daunting.
In this article, Steven Hurst, Director of Corporate Learning at Arden University, looks at the upcoming changes to apprenticeship funding and explains how those in the healthcare industry can navigate these to ensure they're still able to upskill and retain employees.
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