Everything you need to know about Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships provide work-based training to young people and adults who want to learn new skills and gain qualifications while working.

They are one of the best ways to fill the skills gap in the UK workforce. There are now more than 250,000 apprentices currently training on over 200 different Apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships provide work based training to those who want to learn new skills and gain qualifications while working. Apprenticeships can make organisations more effective, competent, productive and competitive by addressing your skills gaps directly.  They are designed to help employees get the skills needed for businesses to succeed.

And with 250,000 apprentices on one of over 200 different Apprenticeships, they have never been more in demand amongst both potential apprentices and employers.

The expansion of the programme in 2004, to include the Young Apprenticeship Programme for those aged 14-16 and Apprenticeships for Adult trials for those over the age of 25, means more than 130,000 employers are engaged in England alone.

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Recent changes

In 2004, the Apprenticeships system changed slightly, allowing 14-16 year olds and people over the age of 25 to become apprentices.
 
What used to be called Foundation Modern Apprenticeships and Advanced Modern Apprenticeships, are now called Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships.

More and more new employers have decided to take part in Apprenticeships, and more places are becoming available across different industry sectors.

Employers and learning providers are now both expected to sign up to a service level agreement. This ensures a high level of quality in their training.
 

The aim of Apprenticeships

There is currently a skills gap in the UK. That’s bad for the nation’s competitiveness at a global level.

At the moment, only 28 per cent of the UK's working age population have skills at Apprenticeship, technical or craft level, which is much lower than other European countries.

Working towards closing this skills gap, a report in 2001 made several recommendations to improve the Apprenticeships system.

After the results of this and other reports were published, the Government set a number of targets including:

• 28 per cent of 16-21 year-olds entering Apprenticeship schemes by 2005 (which equates to 175,000 young people)
• The creation of a national framework of Apprenticeships which define basic standards and strengthens the relationship between employer and the apprentice
• An entitlement to an Apprenticeship place for all 16 and 17 year olds with five or more GCSE passes, from September 2004
• A three-year marketing campaign to promote Apprenticeships and increase take-up by employers and young people