“The new campaign features some great success stories which show exactly how far an apprenticeship can take you. I would recommend any young person that isn’t sure what to do next, to look at some of the new and exciting apprenticeship opportunities available to them.”

These words could have been spoken by (or, to be more accurate, written in a Department for Education press release and attributed to) any one of our recent skills ministers, who have shared a passion (presumably specified in the job description) for apprenticeships.

They, in fact, came from the pen (or iPad) of Nick Boles back in 2014, and came at the launch of the “Get In. Go Far” campaign to promote apprenticeships.

Going, going, gone

The campaign comfortably outlasted Boles’ time in the role. It also ran right through the tenure of his successor, Robert Halfon, and has continued through nigh-on 18 months of Anne Milton’s reign. But no more. FErret understands that the four-year-old PR campaign is to be jettisoned, following the announcement that the flash (and suitably expensive PR agency) M&C Saatchi, founded by the Saatchi brothers, has been drafted in by the Department for Education.

It has been a curious period for the apprenticeship brand. We’ve had a huge amount of welly thrown at the switch from frameworks to standards, the development of degree apprenticeships (Mr Halfon’s two favourite words in the English language, apparently), and the creation of the levy, not to mention the now infamous target of creating 3 million starts.

And yet, the number of starts has tanked, with the target appearing more and more distant with every passing monthly statistical first release. Clearly, the DfE thinks a promotion and PR push is what’s needed to get things moving in the right direction.

Ministerial meetings

The answer to a parliamentary question tabled by shadow FE minister Gordon Marsden also reveals details about the procurement process carried out by the DfE’s strategic communications team. M&C Saatchi was one of three approved, “best-in-class” agencies which made it through the first stage of selection, and then had to present its proposals to the DfE’s director of communications and the Cabinet Office head of campaigns.

M&C Saatchi was appointed in June, and subsequently met with Ms Milton in 23 July. Education secretary Damian Hinds has not yet met with the agency. Given the sizeable likely outlay on this scheme, let’s hope he likes what he sees.