The recommendations in the much-anticipated Sainsbury report on technical education have been accepted by the government as part of its post-16 Skills Plan.

Setting out the overarching framework for the skills system, Nick Boles, Skills Minister, called for a "fundamental shift" in technical education to prepare individuals for skilled employment.

From 2019, every young person will be presented with a choice at age 16: the academic or the technical option with bridging provision established to enable individuals to move, in either direction, between the options.  Plans include:

• Technical education will be either employment-based (typically an apprenticeship) or college-based (two year, full-time study programme)
• A common framework of 15 routes* will be established to encompass all employment-based and college-based technical education at levels 2 to 5
• A single, nationally recognised certificate for each technical education route at levels 2 and 3 will be offered and awarded by a single body or consortium, under a licence covering a fixed period of time following an open competition
• Every college-based route will begin with a two-year programme suitable for 16–18 year olds (although some individuals may take more or less time to complete it) starting with a common core (including digital skills) aligned to apprenticeships
• Additional, occupation-specific maths and English requirements will be incorporated into the standards for each route
• After the common core, individuals will specialise to prepare for entry into an occupation
• Employer-designed standards will be at the heart of the technical education system "to give status and credibility", with support from education experts
• Every 16-18 year old college-based student will be entitled to work experience
• Individuals who are not ready to access a technical education route at age 16 will be offered a ‘transition year’ to help them to prepare for further study or employment
• The new, employer-led Institute for Apprenticeships will regulate quality across apprenticeships and its remit will be extended to cover all technical education at levels 2 to 5. The renamed Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education will be fully operational by April 2017.

1. Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care 
2. Business and Administrative
3. Catering and Hospitality 
4. Childcare and Education 
5. Construction 
6. Creative and Design 
7. Digital 
8. Engineering and Manufacturing 
9. Hair and Beauty 
10. Health and Science 
11. Legal, Finance and Accounting 
12. Protective Services 
13. Sales, Marketing and Procurement 
14. Social Care 
15. Transport and Logistics