Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe There’s a growing contradiction at the heart of the UK skills agenda: apprenticeships are being treated less as a planned progression route into skilled work, and more as a recovery mechanism for young people who have already fallen out of the system. While the pressure to use apprenticeships as a solution is understandable, it risks asking employers, educators and young people to do too much, too late. Lifetime Training’s recent data is telling. Around 79 per cent of applications into apprenticeship recruitment are from young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), alongside indicators of wider disadvantage. Are apprenticeships being used to patch earlier system failures, rather than build a sustainable talent pipeline? Become a member for unlimited access to FE Week subscribe Our members enjoy early access to exclusive content and in-depth articles before anyone else. Get expert journalism on FE and skills, experience fewer ads, and unlock a growing range of member benefits.