Funding for the training of apprentice truck, bus and coach technicians in England has fallen sharply, thanks to a review of funding bands carried out by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and approved by the Department for Education. On 30 September 2019 the funding band for standard reference ST0068 -heavy vehicle service and maintenance technician-fell from £18,000 to £15,000. The same date saw band ST0067 - bus and coach engineering technician -fall by a more modest amount, from £18,000 to £16,000. The ST0068 cut has had an impact on DAF's apprentice college, says DAF business services manager, Adam Russell. "It means we've lost a big chunk of funding and we've had to respond accordingly," he says. "So one of the things we've done to save money is move our functional skills training out of the classroom and on to an online platform." Such training is intended to help apprentices improve their English and mathematics. The change should ensure that standards at the college are maintained despite the funding loss.
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