Apprenticeships

As Sutton Trust data has shown, apprenticeships have become more and more popular with young people, parents and teachers. However, this welcome increase has not been met with increased supply of places for young people. In fact, the number of apprenticeships for young people has declined since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in 2017. And while the growth in higher and degree apprenticeships has been welcome, providing high quality opportunities to earn and learn, those opportunities are increasingly taken up by older and better-off apprentices. This means the apprenticeship system is not delivering on its promise of greater social mobility.

Action should be taken to increase the supply of apprenticeships at all levels, particularly targeting young people. Incentives for employers to create more opportunities could include:

1. Funding to backfill apprentice time spent on off the job training.
2. A reintroduction of apprenticeship incentives, with £3,000 offered to employers for hiring new apprentices under 25.
3. A review of support provided to apprenticeship employers, particularly SMEs, including pastoral support for apprentices.

• Where next: What influences the choice of would-be apprentices? (2023)
• The recent evolution of apprenticeships (2022)
• Degree apprenticeships: Levelling up? (2020)

Employers, whether large levy payers or small and medium enterprises, need further incentives and support to create new opportunities. It is clear that the current employer-led system is not delivering this. If we want to make creating high quality work-based alternatives to higher education a priority, this will require a greater action from government, through investment as well as strengthening of rules through the levy.

There needs to be a particular focus on increasing the number of apprenticeships targeted at young people. To encourage this, at least 50% of each employer’s levy should be ringfenced for under 25s.

To ensure that apprenticeships can be transformational for social mobility, and aren’t dominated by those from better-off homes, the spending of levy money on access activities should be both permitted and promoted, including bursaries, outreach, recruitment and travel/relocation expenses for disadvantaged apprentices. The care leaver bursary for young apprentices should also be extended to young people eligible for free school meals.

• The recent evolution of apprenticeships (2022)
• Degree apprenticeships: Levelling up? (2020)

The majority of apprenticeship starts are at levels 2 and 3, which is equivalent to GCSE and A-levels. Progression to higher level qualifications is crucial to the workplace prospects of young people, yet too often they run into an invisible ceiling.

Progression through levels should be boosted, with an ambition to provide seamless progression to higher level qualifications. The requirement to pass GCSE English and maths to complete an apprenticeship should be abolished, and replaced with a requirement to continue an alternative course of study focused on core English and maths skills.

• The recent evolution of apprenticeships (2022)
• Better apprenticeships (2017)

High-quality apprenticeships offer young people the opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’, gain valuable skills and get a foot on the career ladder. Yet too many young people do not know enough about apprenticeships and the career prospects they can offer them.

There should be a stronger drive from government to support and encourage employers to improve the quality and availability of apprenticeships for young people, and for young people to take them up. Careers advice in schools should be clearer about the potential careers, salaries and progression prospects from taking an apprenticeship in different sectors.

• The recent evolution of apprenticeships (2022)
• Paving the way (2022)
• Apprenticeship outreach (2021)
• Degree apprenticeships: Levelling up? (2020)