# Why Apprentices Still Need Functional Skills (Even After the Rule Change)

You’ve probably heard the news by now. The government changed the rules in February 2025, and apprentices over 19 no longer have to pass Functional Skills to complete their apprenticeships. Some people are calling it a victory, a removal of barriers, a chance for more adults to succeed.

But here’s what they’re not telling you – and what your training provider might not want to admit: skipping Functional Skills could be the biggest career mistake you make.

Let me explain why smart apprentices are still choosing to get their Functional Skills Level 2, even when they don’t have to.

## The Rule Change Nobody Really Understands

First, let’s clear up what actually changed. If you’re 19 or over and doing an apprenticeship, you no longer have to pass English and maths Functional Skills to get your apprenticeship certificate. That’s it. That’s the change.

What didn’t change? Everything else.

Employers still want people with good English and maths skills. Universities still require Level 2 qualifications for most courses. Other training programs still have these requirements. The job market still rewards people who can communicate clearly and handle numbers confidently.

The government removed a barrier to completing your current apprenticeship, but they didn’t remove the barriers to your future career progression.

Think about it like this: imagine if the government said you no longer needed a driving license to finish driving lessons. Great, you can complete the course without passing your test. But good luck getting anywhere without that license afterward.

## What This Really Means for Your Career

Here’s the uncomfortable truth that nobody wants to talk about: the rule change wasn’t really about helping apprentices succeed. It was about helping training providers hit their completion targets.

When apprentices struggled with Functional Skills and couldn’t complete their programs, it made the training providers look bad. Their success rates dropped, their funding got questioned, and their reputation suffered. The easiest solution? Remove the requirement.

But your career doesn’t care about training provider statistics. Your future employer doesn’t care about completion rates. They care about whether you can do the job.

And increasingly, doing the job means having solid English and maths skills.

Let me give you some real examples. If you’re doing an engineering apprenticeship, you might think the technical skills are all that matter. But what happens when you need to write a report about a project? What about when you need to calculate materials costs, understand technical specifications, or communicate with clients?

If you’re in business administration, you might think you can get by with basic skills. But what about when you need to analyze data, create presentations, write professional emails, or understand financial reports?

The apprentices who thrive – the ones who get promoted, who become team leaders, who start their own businesses – are the ones with strong communication and numeracy skills alongside their technical expertise.

## The Hidden Advantages Smart Apprentices Know About

Here’s what the successful apprentices figured out: Functional Skills isn’t just about ticking a box. It’s about building the foundation skills that make everything else easier.

Take communication skills. When you can write clearly and speak confidently, you become the person others turn to for explanations. You become the bridge between technical teams and management. You become indispensable.

Or numeracy skills. When you can quickly calculate costs, understand percentages, and interpret data, you make better decisions. You spot problems before they become expensive mistakes. You contribute to strategic discussions instead of just following orders.

These aren’t abstract benefits. They translate directly into career progression and earning potential.

I know an apprentice electrician named Jake who decided to get his Functional Skills even after the rule change. His mates thought he was mad – why do extra work when you don’t have to?

Six months later, Jake was writing quotes for customers, explaining technical solutions in plain English, and calculating job costs. His boss started giving him more responsibility because he could handle the business side as well as the technical work. Within a year, Jake was earning £3,000 more than his mates who skipped the Functional Skills.

The difference? Jake could do more than just the technical work. He could communicate with customers, handle the paperwork, and contribute to business decisions.

## Why Functional Skills Beats Everything Else

You might be thinking, “Okay, but if I need English and maths skills, why not just do GCSEs? Surely they’re more respected?”

Here’s why Functional Skills is actually the smarter choice for apprentices:

**It’s Designed for Working Adults**
GCSEs were created for 16-year-olds with no work experience. Functional Skills was designed for people like you – adults who are already working, who understand real-world applications, and who need practical skills they can use immediately.

**It Fits Around Your Apprenticeship**
GCSE courses follow school schedules and academic calendars. Functional Skills courses are flexible. You can study around your work shifts, fit learning into your lunch breaks, and take assessments when you’re ready.

**It’s Actually More Relevant**
GCSE English makes you analyze Shakespeare. Functional Skills English teaches you to write professional reports and communicate clearly with colleagues and customers. Which one helps your career more?

GCSE Maths includes abstract algebra you’ll never use. Functional Skills Maths focuses on practical calculations, data interpretation, and problem-solving skills you’ll use every day at work.

**Employers Prefer It**
This might surprise you, but many employers actually prefer Functional Skills over GCSEs for adult learners. Why? Because they know the person has practical, job-ready skills rather than just theoretical knowledge.

## The £19.99 Investment That Changes Everything

Here’s the best part: getting your Functional Skills Level 2 doesn’t have to cost a fortune or take years of your life.

At FunctiyLearning, courses start from just £19.99. That’s less than you probably spend on lunch in a week. It’s less than a night out. It’s less than most people spend on coffee in a month.

But this small investment could be the difference between staying stuck in entry-level positions and progressing to roles with real responsibility and better pay.

Think about the return on investment. If having Functional Skills helps you earn just £1 extra per hour, you’ll make back your course fee in less than three weeks. If it helps you get promoted to a supervisor role worth £2,000 extra per year, you’ll recoup your investment in less than four days.

But the real value isn’t just financial. It’s the confidence that comes from knowing you can handle any communication or numerical challenge that comes your way. It’s the respect you earn from colleagues and managers. It’s the doors that open when you have the skills to walk through them.

## What Happens If You Don’t

Let me paint you a picture of two apprentices. Both start at the same company, doing the same apprenticeship, with the same technical abilities.

Apprentice A decides to skip Functional Skills. “I don’t need it,” he says. “I’m good with my hands, and that’s what matters in this job.”

Apprentice B gets her Functional Skills Level 2. It takes her four months of studying in the evenings and on weekends.

Fast forward two years:

Apprentice A is still doing the same job he started with. He’s technically competent, but when the boss needs someone to write a report or calculate project costs, he looks elsewhere. When promotion opportunities come up, they go to people who can handle the full range of responsibilities.

Apprentice B has been promoted twice. She writes the technical reports, handles customer communications, and contributes to planning meetings. Her salary has increased by £5,000, and she’s being considered for a team leader position.

The difference? Those four months of evening study that Apprentice B invested in herself.

## Your Next Step

The rule change gave you a choice. You can complete your apprenticeship without Functional Skills, or you can invest in your future and get the qualifications that will actually help your career.

Smart apprentices are choosing to invest in themselves. They’re getting their Functional Skills Level 2 because they understand that the minimum requirement for completing an apprenticeship isn’t the same as the requirement for career success.

Don’t let the rule change fool you into thinking these skills don’t matter. They matter more than ever. The apprentices who get ahead are the ones who can do more than just the technical work – they can communicate, calculate, and contribute to the bigger picture.

Visit FunctiyLearning.co.uk today and see how you can get your Functional Skills Level 2 starting from just £19.99. Your future self will thank you for making the smart choice now.

Because when everyone else is celebrating doing the minimum, you’ll be building the skills that set you apart from the crowd.