This, they said, would mean a freeze on new places being available, with thousands of young people who had expected to start a new Modern Apprenticeship on April 1 being “left in limbo.”
They added that it was unclear if the delay was due to a “bureaucratic process” or if the Scottish Government was “seeking to cut the budget for Modern Apprenticeships.”
READ MORE: Scottish Government given warning over education cuts
STF Chief Executive, Stuart McKenna, said: “It’s ironic that this week the UK Government has announced 20,000 more apprenticeships and an increase in budget of £60 million for England, but in Scotland we are still struggling to get contracts issued in a timely manner.
“This freeze will leave many apprentices, training providers and employers in limbo.
“We urgently need the Scottish Government to agree the SDS budget so that delivery contracts can be issued.”
When contacted by The Herald, the Scottish Government confirmed that they had now “agreed the SDS budget and SDS have been asked to contract for Modern Apprenticeship starts in 2024/25 at a similar level to 2023/24, despite the incredibly challenging financial circumstances facing government.”
A spokesperson added: “There are also 38,000 Modern Apprentices in training at this point in time, who will continue to be supported through their training.”
In a statement, SDS said: “Following confirmation from the Scottish Government, SDS is progressing Modern Apprenticeship contract awards for 2024/25 new starts and in-training in line with procurement processes.”
When asked if the confirmation only came after the STF release, the SDS spokesperson said, “yes.”