GONE are the days of university being the automatic step for young people finishing school; it is no longer the only option and thankfully gone, too, are the days of parents and teachers focusing solely on academic education. Vocational education is at last attaining equal status. We are seeing an unprecedented take up in apprenticeships which are now a real alternative but there is no room for complacency. We must seize our chance to build on this success and work harder to improve not only the quantity but also the quality of apprenticeships. It is a tough challenge but the prize is great.

Local businesses tell me that productivity, skill levels and morale is higher where they have an apprentice, and its clear they play an increasingly important role in the development and growth of small businesses in particular. That is why the Education Secretary is right to work to put the quality of technical education on a par with the quality of our academic education, and ensure our apprenticeships programme is created by employers and for employers.

We have a commitment to create three million new apprenticeships by 2020 and enhance employee training, and will be spending £2.5 billion on the apprenticeships programme. This month we have seen an increase in the national minimum wage for apprenticeships aged under 19 years. And further still we now have the details of the new Apprenticeship Levy which will be collected from employers and placed in to an apprenticeship funding pot, the business can utilise this by offering apprenticeship training. Importantly, the funding model will give greater support to 16 to 18-year-olds and to those from disadvantaged areas.

Smaller employers will receive additional Government support, and more funding will be awarded to employers taking on apprentices who were in care or who have special educational needs, something I know locals will welcome. Those not eligible to pay the levy will also receive support towards the cost of apprenticeship training and, to raise standards, there will be a new register of apprenticeship training providers.

Last week was Kidlington Apprenticeship Week and Oxfordshire Apprenticeships put on the brilliant ApprenticeSHOP in the Kidlington Centre to provide information and advice for young people – just one example of the success of the programme locally. The Oxfordshire Business Awards have been running for 22 years and next year we will see the first Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards. We have a wealth of fantastic apprenticeship opportunities to show off and I regularly meet employers and apprentices to hear about progress. Crucial infrastructure expansion in our area means we need these kinds of programmes to enhance skills provision and promote all kinds of career paths to girls as well as boys.

When looking at education policy as a whole many have been focusing on the selective schools aspect of late, but the Apprenticeships Levy funding announcement highlights exactly why we need to focus on delivering high quality apprenticeships which clearly will have a tangible impact on young people. Training young apprentices is vital for business; its not just their apprenticeship plan, its also their business plan.