Raising the Participation Age (RPA)

Why is this happening?

Most 16 or 17 year olds already continue in some form of education or training so RPA is not a big change for them. But all young people should have the chance to develop the skills they need for adult life. Continuing in learning will give them as much chance as possible to get the qualifications, the knowledge and the practical skills they need to help them succeed. This is true whether they are thinking of going into further or higher education, going for an apprenticeship, or looking for a job. There is evidence that getting qualifications at this age can help young people earn more over their whole lifetime - for example young people with two or more A Levels earn around 14% more than those without. Research has also suggested that, over the course of their career, those with an Apprenticeship earn £100,000 more than those without.