Top accountant slams apprenticeship reform that ‘shuts door on talent’
Vipul Sheth, MD of Advancetrack said: “It’s great to see the continued support for people wanting to train as accountants who are under 21, however the government’s decision to scrap funding for those over 21 is deeply troubling. This policy risks shutting the door on a vast pool of talented individuals – including career changers and older learners, at a time when our sector faces an acute talent crisis.
“Accounting is not just a career for school leavers; many of our most promising apprentices begin training later in life, bringing valuable experience and diversity of thought into firms. I’m concerned this is going to significantly reduce access to apprentices for the smaller practices up and down the country, that rely on government support to invest in their teams.
“The current Apprenticeship Levy structure has helped unlock talent and improve diversity across the profession, and I’d now urge Skills England to consider how else to support sectors like accountancy, which are facing a talent shortfall. If the government is serious about driving economic growth and upskilling the workforce, it must ensure that access to professional training remains open to all – regardless of age.”