EAL latest news and updates – May 2026

News & updates

Vocational Celebration Day 2026: Join the UK-wide celebration of technical education

We’re excited to share details of the very first Vocational Celebration Day, taking place on 6 August 2026, bringing together learners, employers, training providers and industry leaders from across the UK to celebrate the value and impact of vocational education. 

To mark the occasion, Enginuity and EAL will host a special livestreamed event presented by former apprentice and broadcaster Steph McGovern, featuring inspiring stories and live contributions from across the country as we champion technical skills and showcase the life-changing opportunities vocational pathways create, across all sectors. 

Find out how you can get involved

Explore EAL’s new Learner Hub 

The EAL Learner Hub provides current and new learners with clear and accessible information to support you throughout your learning journey. It brings together key resources and guidance to help learners understand EAL qualifications, access certification information, and find support when needed. 

Explore now

Celebrate the best in skills and training 

EAL are proud to sponsor the Training Provider of the Year category at the annual Enginuity Skills Awards 2026, delivered by our charitable partners, Enginuity. 

As part of our commitment to the future of engineering and manufacturing skills, we reinvest our surplus into Enginuity’s charitable initiatives — putting our purpose into practice. 

We invite you to join us on 1 July 2026 for an evening of celebration, networking and recognition across the sector. Tickets are now live. 

Join us at the Enginuity Skills Awards

New learner email verification requirement from May 2026

As part of our ongoing improvements to digital services, we are introducing a new learner email verification requirement. From 27 May 2026, learners who are registered with an email address, or who have a new email address added in SAP, will be required to verify their email address.

Find out what this means for you

Artificial Intelligence (AI) position statement

We would like to provide you with an update on a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) position statement that the EAL Change Committee has recently approved. 

Following your feedback, EAL has published an AI position statement to provide clear guidance on what you can and cannot use artificial intelligence for, in line with regulatory requirements.  

The statement is intended as a practical guide to support you in using AI responsibly and transparently, whilst ensuring that assessment integrity is maintained and that expert human judgement remains central to decisions affecting learners. 

Read our Artificial Intelligence (AI) position statement

Qualification updates - May 2026

We’re pleased to bring you the latest updates on qualifications this month. This edition covers a range of changes, including new qualifications, amendments to qualification structures, extensions following review, and document updates.

Explore the updates

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