Apprenticeships
Apprentices learn on the job, develop skills and knowledge and gain qualifications, whilst earning money
As employees, apprentices work alongside experienced staff to gain job specific skills. Off the job, usually on a day release basis, apprentices receive training with a local training provider such as a college.
They work towards a work based qualification such as a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and other nationally recognised qualifications.
There are over 180 different career choices on offer in 80 different sectors.
Growth in apprenticeship numbers
A statistical first release (SFR) shows that 457,200 apprenticeship starts were delivered in the full 2010/11 academic year. This represents a 63.5% increase on 2009/10 figures. There was growth at all levels of learning , for all age groups, and across all sectors and all regions. The SFR gives data on apprenticeship success rates for 2010/11 for the first time: 76.4% of learners successfully completed their apprenticeship.
Press Notice: Statistics confirm growth
Apprenticeship Measures
As part of its Plan for Growth, the government announced measures in November 2011 to ensure more young people benefit from an apprenticeship and to make it easier for employers to take on apprentices.
These include:
- incentive payments for small companies taking on their first apprentice aged 16-24 which will be available from April 2012
- streamlined processes for employers
- renewed focus on younger adults, new employees, higher level qualifications, and specific sectors which deliver greatest impact
- apprenticeship providers to offer training in English and maths up to the standard of a good GCSE (intermediate) for all apprenticeships
- external review into the standards and quality of apprenticeships, which will report in 2012.
Press Notice: Apprenticeships: Cable guarantees quality, slashes red tape and delivers cash boost for firms: 16 November 2011
Press Notice: PM: £250m pilot to give employers power over skills training
Press Notice: Government appoints small business owner to advise on apprenticeships
Higher Apprenticeship Fund
The Government announced 19,000 new Higher Apprenticeship to deliver skills for growth on 1 December 2011. The Higher Apprenticeship Fund of £18.7m will support this development, enabling employers, colleges and universities to deliver the advanced skills most critical for growth.
Employers will have the opportunity to be for a second round of funding early in 2012.
Press Release: 19,000 new higher apprenticeships to deliver skills for growth: 1 December 2011
Further information: Apprenticeship Fund
Apprenticeship Week
National Apprenticeship Week takes place from 6-10 February 2012. This is an opportunity for everyone with an interest in apprenticeships to get involved. There will be a number of regional events taking place across the country.
Further information: Apprenticeship Week
Apprenticeships Awards
Apprenticeships Awards have been designed to recognise and reward both employers and apprentices.
The employer category is for those who are successfully using apprenticeships to improve their business performance and tackle skills shortages.
The apprentice category is for those whose contribution to the workplace has exceeded their employers’ expectations and resulted in measurable benefits or who have overcome difficulties to succeed through their apprenticeship.
The national winners were announced on 29 June 2011.
Further information: Apprenticeships Awards
Apprenticeships Standards
The Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE) published on 20 January 2011 sets out the minimum requirements to be included in a recognised English framework. Compliance with the SASE is a statutory requirement of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning (ASCL) Act. This is the first statutory SASE. It will be brought into effect by order issued by the Secretary of State.
Press Notice: New quality guarantee for apprenticeships, 20 Jan 2011
Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE) (PDF, 133 Kb)
The changes to Apprenticeships announced in the 2011 Education and Skills Growth Review have been assessed for their impact on equality and diversity. Please see here for the assessment report:
Equality Impact Assessment - Changes to the Apprenticeship Programme (PDF, 134 Kb)
