More youngsters choose apprenticeships as choices grow for school leavers
More young people across England are on the fast-track to a great career with a top quality apprenticeship.
Provisional figures released today (21 January 2016) indicate an increase in the number of young people, aged under 19, earning and learning on apprenticeships, and also growth in higher level apprenticeships.
There have been over 150,000 starts across England, with every region seeing at least 11,000 apprenticeships started in the last quarter. In addition, more young people are benefitting from traineeships which provide the essential skills and experience needed to prepare for an apprenticeship or other job.
Skills Minister Nick Boles said:
Young people today have more doors open to them than ever before. Today’s figures show that savvy young people see apprenticeships as a fast-track to a successful career. Apprenticeships are real jobs that combine studying with hands on experience in the workplace.
Apprenticeships and traineeships are creating the highly skilled and productive workforce that is supporting our country’s economic growth. We are on the right track to delivering 3 million apprenticeships by 2020.
School leavers now have more choice than ever before, as more and more top employers launch apprenticeship and traineeship programmes in professions ranging from law to TV production.
The positive figures follow the Prime Minister’s announcement of a new Apprenticeship Delivery Board which will bring together some of the country’s leading businesses.
Apprenticeship Delivery Board members from top employers including Channel 4, Barclays and Wates Construction will encourage more businesses to develop quality apprenticeships. Members will act as apprenticeship champions within their sector, working with employers of all sizes to increase both the number of apprenticeship places on offer and the supply of talented candidates.
Note to editors
- There have been 268,000 starts so far in the current parliament.