Apprenticeship Committee - Scottish Funding Council

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To support the effective delivery of its new functions in relation to apprenticeships and work-based learning, SFC is required to establish an Apprenticeship Committee.

The Apprenticeship Committee will advise the Board on the development and continuous improvement of Scottish apprenticeships, including the qualifications currently known as Foundation Apprenticeships, to support a coherent and connected skills system.

Membership and Meetings

Committee Membership

SFC Board Members

Jacqueline Hall (chair)

Next Meeting Dates

Guidance from Scottish Government

Guidance on the establishment and operation of the Apprenticeship Committee

Issued to the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council by the Scottish Ministers under the paragraph 12A(6) of schedule 1 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005.

1 October 2026

Read the guidance document

Standing Orders

Legislation and background

The Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 established the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council. Schedule 1 of the Act makes provision for certain administrative and other matters with respect to the Board, including the establishment of Committees. This was amended by the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Act 2026.
Schedule 1 states that:
- The Board may establish committees for any purpose relating to its functions [section 13].
- The Board is to determine the composition of its committees, the terms and conditions of committee membership and the procedure (including any quorum) of its committees [section 14 (1)].
- Any of the committees of the Board may include persons who are not members of the Board [section 14 (2)].
- The Board is to pay the members of its committees (whether or not they are also members of the Board) such allowances as the Scottish Ministers may determine [section 14 (3)].
- The Board is to keep under review the structure of its committee and the scope of the activities of each [section 14 (4)].

Schedule 1 also states that the Board may authorise any of its committees to exercise such of its functions to such an extent as it may determine [section 15 (1)]. Delegated authority for each committee is contained in the remit for each committee as agreed by the Board.
Schedule 1 of the Act (as amended) makes provision for three policy committees, now called:
- Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee (RKEC).
- Skills, Enhancement, Access and Learning (SEAL) Committee.
- Apprenticeship Committee (AppComm).

Remit of the Apprenticeship Committee

The Apprenticeship Committee is committed to enhancing Scottish Apprenticeships and work-based learning undertaken under a Work-Based Learning Agreement (WBLA) in Scotland.
The Committee has a role to provide insight and constructive challenge to support the SFC Board in securing and funding apprenticeships and WBLA work-based learning, in line with Scottish Government priorities. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Ensuring apprenticeships and work-based learning are responsive to the needs of learners, employers, and the wider economy, including current and emerging skills demands, and providing evidence-based advice on the required scale, shape and prioritisation of apprenticeship and WBLA work-based learning across Scotland and by region and sector. The committee should consider how best to maximise value and impact for learners, employers, the wider economy and the public purse.
- Providing advice on the development, quality, and continuous improvement of apprenticeship frameworks, including the required standards or qualifications to be achieved by apprentices during an apprenticeship.
- Drawing on sectoral expertise and employer insight, and sharing industry intelligence and examples of good practice to identify opportunities to strengthen and improve the apprenticeship and WBLA work-based learning system. In so doing, the Committee should have regard to a broad range of evidence and considerations, including labour market intelligence, equalities, and sustainability. This will help to ensure that apprenticeship provision is inclusive and forward looking.
- Adopting a holistic approach across apprenticeships and WBLA work-based learning provision to support a more coherent and connected skills system. This should include consideration of the alignment between different pathways, with a view to simplifying and removing duplication across tertiary education and training pathways, and promoting parity of esteem for learners. This integrated approach will support greater clarity for employers and learners, and contribute to a skills system that is flexible, responsive, and inclusive.
- Consider evidence on outcomes related to apprenticeships and work-based learning (under a WBLA), including completion rates and barriers to access and participation. The committee should provide advice to support the Council’s understanding of trends, emerging risks and opportunities for improvement across the wider tertiary education and skills system. This should include consideration of implications for future funding.

The Apprenticeship Committee has delegated authority from the Board to make decisions about:
- Design, approval and updating of apprenticeship and work-based learning frameworks to meet Scottish Government priorities and employer needs.
- Quality assurance arrangements in place to assure and enhance quality of Scottish Apprenticeships and work-based learning that is undertaken under a WBLA.
- Compliance of Scottish Apprenticeship and WBLA-related work-based learning frameworks with the National Occupational Standards (NOS).

The Apprenticeship Committee may delegate its authority to one or more of its sub-committees.

Membership of the Apprenticeship Committee

As set out in the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) 2005 Act (as amended), membership of the committee will be determined by the Board. Scottish Ministers must guidance to the Scottish Funding Council on the composition of the Committee and the appointment of the Chair.
Board Committees must have Board representation. The Chair, who will be determined by the Board, will be a Board member but not the Chair of the Board and will also be a current or recent employer with a strong track record of representing the views and interests of employers. The Chair should have a strong understanding of the skills landscape and the apprenticeship and work-based learning system.
The Chief Executive, although a member of the Board, will not normally be a member of any committee.
The Apprenticeship Committee will have other committee members who are not members of the Board. These will be referred to as “external members”; and the Scottish Ministers’ guidance about the composition of the Apprenticeship Committee must be followed in their selection. In addition, guidelines established by the Remuneration and Nominations Committee should also be followed.
A Board member’s term of office on a committee will run concurrently with their Board term of office. Each external member will be appointed initially for a period of three years, with the possibility of serving for a further three-year period thereafter. Where appropriate, periods of reappointment will be staggered to ensure some continuity of membership.
On the expiry of a period of appointment of an external member, that member may be invited to serve for a single further period not exceeding three years. Where appropriate, periods of reappointment will be staggered to ensure some continuity of membership.
An external member may by giving notice in writing to the Chair of the committee resign as a member of a committee. A Board member may by giving notice in writing to the Chair of the Board resign as a member of a committee.
If the Chair of the committee and the Chair of the Board are satisfied that a member’s attendance at meetings has been unsatisfactory or that the member is otherwise unable or unfit to discharge the functions of a member, they may by giving notice in writing to the member remove that person from the committee.
The Chair of the Apprenticeship Committee will be a member (but not the Chair) of the Board and the Committee will include at least two other Board members and up to 16 external members.
The target membership profile includes members with the following key skill sets. A full Apprenticeship Committee will consist of a Chair, who will also be a Council Board member and a current or recent employer, and between 10 and 20 members including:
- Representatives of apprenticeship providers including:
  - One college representative;
  - One university representative, and
  - The Scottish Training Federation (representing other training providers).
- Two members of the Board who are also employers.
- One or more employers drawn from the Scottish Government’s strategic skills priority sectors, ensuring the committee membership comprises a mix of large, medium-sized, small and micro employers.
- Two representatives from industry bodies, such as members of the Scottish Government’s Industry Leadership Groups, sector skills councils or trade bodies.
- At least three apprentices or learners offering a broad perspective on apprenticeships and work-based learning.
- A trade union representative from the Scottish Trades Union Congress.
- A Developing the Young Workforce representative.
- A representative from one or more other education and training bodies, such as Education Scotland, Skills Development Scotland and awarding bodies, including Qualifications Scotland, in a capacity appropriate to the Apprenticeship Committee’s remit.
- The Chair or another member of the SEAL Committee to ensure that risks of duplication between the committees are appropriately managed.

Proceedings of the Apprenticeship Committee

Committee members should observe the same rules as those set out under the Code of Conduct for SFC Board members (Our governance – Scottish Funding Council).
The validity of any proceedings of the Apprenticeship Committee is not affected by a vacancy in membership or by any defect in the appointment of a member.

Quorum

The quorum for an Apprenticeship Committee meeting is one more than half the membership, and this must include at least one Board member. However, when not quorate the members present may decide to proceed with a meeting at which items on the agenda are considered and any recommendations reached are shared via correspondence for approval.

Role of the Chair in Committee Meetings

It is the role of the Chair to see that Committee business is conducted in an orderly fashion and to ensure that members obtain a fair hearing.
The Chair is also responsible for leading the meeting to reach decisions. The Committee will normally make decisions on the basis of agreement by consensus, but where the Chair believes it to be in the interest of the progress of a debate, or where it is proposed and seconded by two members present, the Clerk may be asked to count and record a vote by a show of hands.

Collective responsibility

Committee members should be encouraged to express any differing views within the Committee’s internal decision-making process. If a member has a reservation regarding a particular decision, they may ask for their dissent to be formally recorded in the minute. Once a decision has been reached, all members should support it.

Nomination of a Vice-Chair

The Chair may nominate a Vice-Chair to act as deputy in the absence of the Chair at Committee meetings. This nomination will be subject to the approval of the Committee.

Clerk to the Committee

The Clerk to the Committee will advise the Chair on the conduct of Committee business and agenda planning. The Clerk will also advise Committee members on formal matters relating to the Committee.

Register of Interest

All members are required to complete a register of interests on appointment (Board members complete this form on appointment to the Board) and must notify the Clerk when any changes to this need to be made. Members’ registers of interests will be made publicly available on the Scottish Funding Council website.
If any member has, or could be perceived to have, an interest in a matter that is being considered by the Committee, then it is their duty to declare that interest at the start of the meeting or as soon as they become aware of it, whether or not that interest has already been recorded in their register of interests. This declaration will be recorded in the minutes by the Clerk. Committee members must:

Declare interests per Section 5 of the Code of Conduct.
Record any interests per Section 4 of the Code of Conduct.
Maintain confidentiality and collective responsibility per Section 3 of the Code of Conduct.

Members will not remain in the meeting, nor participate in those parts of the meeting where they have a declared interest.
Whilst individual members have a responsibility to consider their position with regard to any registration conflict of interest, prior to the meeting the Clerk will consider the agenda in the context of the register of members’ interests and advise the Chair accordingly.

Attendance at Meetings

Meetings will normally be attended by SFC’s Director of National Training Programmes and Director for Strategic Transformation and Skills.
The majority of committee meetings will be held online via Microsoft Teams and members will be expected to join remotely. One meeting per year will be held in person and members will be expected to join that meeting in person.
In addition, other members of SFC’s staff may attend meetings as required for agenda items for which they are presenting information, to be available to respond to questions on matters arising from papers, to hear the debate where the Committee’s discussion will inform their work, or as part of their on-going professional development. They may not take part in Committee decisions.
As set out in the legislation, a representative of Scottish Ministers is entitled to participate in any deliberations (but not in decisions) of any committee of the Board [section 16 of Schedule 1].

External members

External members may receive copies of papers that contain commercially sensitive and/or confidential information to enable them to contribute to the business of the Committee. This information is strictly confidential and should not be shared with any third party.

Observers

Any member of the Board has the right to attend committee meetings as an observer by agreement with the Chair of the Committee.
External observers may be invited to attend committee meetings at the discretion of the Chair of the Committee. External observers invited to be in attendance will receive copies of papers that do not contain commercially sensitive and/or confidential information. Observers will be asked to leave the meeting for agenda items which relate to commercially sensitive and/or confidential items.
Observers are encouraged to take part in discussions, but may not take part in decisions.

Timing of Meetings

Scheduled (or ordinary) meetings

The Committee will meet on an appropriate number of occasions in a year to carry out its duties effectively, but will meet at least three times per year.
The schedule of meetings for each year will be agreed by the Committee in the previous year, following consultation with the Chair by the Clerk and taking into account the dates of Board meetings.
One meeting each academic year will be held jointly in part with the SEAL Committee to discuss matters of mutual interest to both Committees.

Extra (or special) meetings

The Chair may convene additional meetings as they deem necessary. The Accountable Officer (Chief Executive) or Board may also ask the Committee to convene further special meetings to discuss particular issues on which they want the Committee’s advice.
The Committee may agree to delegate to a sub-group responsibility for a particular matter. The sub-group would then report back to the Committee.

Agenda and papers

Distribution of agenda and papers

Any member can, by contacting the Clerk to the Committee, suggest items of business. The agenda and designation of business will be decided by the Chair.
The agenda of business and accompanying paper will normally be distributed no later than one week before a scheduled meeting of the committee.

Freedom of Information

Disclosable papers will be made available on request.

Disclosure status

In some cases, particular documents may be subject to disclosure exemptions under the terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Where this applies, the particular exemption(s) will be stated.
The Committee will decide at the meeting which of its papers, if any, will be non-disclosable or disclosable in edited form.

Approval of minutes of Committee meetings

Minutes of a Committee meeting will be submitted to the Chair for preliminary approval, and thereafter to the subsequent meeting of the Committee for formal approval.

Reporting to the Board

The approved minutes of each Committee meeting will be reported to the Board via correspondence. A report detailing discussions and decisions made during committee meetings will be produced by the Committee Clerk and will be shared with Board members via the dedicated Board portal.
At each Board meeting there will be the opportunity for the Chair to raise verbally matters that they think the Board needs to be aware of.

Review

The committee remit and membership will be reviewed annually and proposed changes submitted to the Board for approval. The Committee will also conduct an annual self-evaluation and report the outcomes to the Board.