In October 2025, we submitted a response to the Medr/2025/17: Apprenticeship Programme in Wales: Consultation.
We chose to respond to the consultation question most aligned with our expertise, regarding the outcomes that should be prioritised for apprentices (e.g. sustainable employment, qualifications), and how these can be effectively measured and supported.
Embedding professional standards within apprenticeships presents a valuable opportunity to elevate their impact and credibility. By aligning apprenticeship outcomes with recognised professional registrations, apprentices can earn post-nominals that reflect their applied skills, knowledge, and proven competence. This not only validates their expertise but also enhances their career prospects and forms inter-disciplinary connections that can lead to new ideas and solutions.
From the SocEnv response
You can view our full response below.
Connecting educational pathways to professional registration: Growing skills, careers and opportunity
Creating pathways to professional registration
Our response is formed from our experience in connecting learning, skills and professional registration, by creating clear pathways to professional registration in the environmental sector.
Across the UK, we have successfully mapped over 20 apprenticeships to our professional registers, including the Entry-Level Environmentalist (ELEnv), Registered Environmental Technician (REnvTech), and Registered Environmental Practitioner (REnvP). This mapping provides apprentices with clear and accessible pathways to professional registration, reinforcing the value and credibility of their training.
By aligning apprenticeship content with recognised, environmental professional standards, it can provide employers with greater confidence in using apprenticeships as a strategic tool, to meet both current and future workforce skills needs.
To find out more about our work on education and skills, please click the link below.
